A Richmond woman has admitted to wire fraud after embezzling nearly $240,000 from a private school where she worked as business manager.
Court documents state that Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, 46, held the position from May 2021 through June 2024. Her duties included managing the school’s books and records, performing bank reconciliations, and making purchases on behalf of the school. She had access to a credit card intended for official school business.
Between November 2021 and July 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used the school’s credit card for personal expenses such as travel to Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Miami; attending performances including Hamilton and concerts by Usher, LL Cool J, and Capitol Jazz; purchasing luxury items like purses and jewelry; and paying rent for her residence. On one occasion in May 2024, she charged $1,591.77 at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing for a graduation party.
To hide her actions, Peoples-Hilliard falsified bank reconciliation reports by misrepresenting personal expenses as approved spending categories. For instance, she labeled costs for a Royal Caribbean cruise, a hotel stay in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a deposit at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing as construction-related expenses.
Peoples-Hilliard is scheduled for sentencing on January 22, 2026. She faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentences in federal cases can be less than the maximum penalty depending on various factors considered by the court.
"Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia," along with Stephen Farina of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office announced the plea following its acceptance by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
"Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore is prosecuting the case."
Additional information about this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Court documents are available via PACER under Case No. 3:25-cr-130 or through the District Court's website.
