No Criminal Investigation Planned for Ex-Hanover Principal

[Silent_Bob]

http://www.vnews.com/School-District-Recoups-Funds-Hanover-NH-3984397

Hanover — The Hanover School Board has recouped the roughly $30,000 that former Bernice A. Ray School Principal Matthew Laramie allegedly misused.

Meanwhile, SAU 70 Superintendent Frank Bass said the School Board has decided the district won't pursue criminal charges against Laramie, who abruptly resigned from his post in February.

The insurance company that represents the district agreed with the district's findings concerning Laramie's alleged "misuse and misrepresentation" of school funds, and agreed to cut a check for $33,850 earlier this summer, Bass said in a telephone interview this week.

"The School Board's initial interest was recouping the monies that were lost and that has been accomplished," Bass said. "The school district is under no obligation to push charges in this case, and at present, that is the position of the School Board."

That position could change, however, if circumstances change, Bass said.

Hanover Police Chief Charlie Dennis on Tuesday said there is "no way to know without doing an investigation" whether Laramie's alleged misuse of funds constituted criminal behavior.

Dennis said there isn't an open case involving Laramie, and school officials haven't come forward to request one. The school district did notify Dennis about the initial internal investigation last winter.

Dennis said there has to be a "victim" in a case in order to investigate an alleged crime.

"If we don't have a victim coming forward, we really don't have a case to investigate," Dennis said.

Messages left for Laramie's attorney, James Bianco, weren't returned.

Hanover School Board Chairwoman Kelly McConnell referred all questions to Bass; requests for comment from Vice Chairwoman Mimi Lichtenstein weren't returned.

Though he declined to elaborate, Bass said this week there are other "legal ramifications" and "recoupment of monies" that the district is pursuing.

He said the district hasn't filed a civil suit against Laramie, nor would it.

"The insurance company would handle that," Bass said.

Mike Ricker, general counsel at Primex, which is the district's insurance agent, said all information about claims are confidential. He declined to comment on the situation, including whether the insurance company has been reimbursed by Laramie.

In January, school officials launched an investigation into expenses Laramie charged to the district's professional development account, a fund used to cover staff training and education, Bass said in a March letter to school personnel and parents.

The district hired an independent auditor to review findings by school officials, who had identified tens of thousands of dollars of questionable spending allegedly tied to Laramie. The auditor concurred with the district.

Laramie sought reimbursement through "suspicious receipts" over a period of three years, Bass said at the time. Laramie's tenure as principal of the Ray School started in 2011.

"The fact that the insurance company gave us a check in excess of $30,000," Bass said, "that says a lot."