A former tax office employee for the Tomball Independent School District is facing federal wire fraud charges, accused of stealing nearly $1 million from the school district over an extended period, officials say. The case has put a spotlight on how the alleged theft went on before it was caught.
Prosecutors identified the former employee as Christy Williams. According to authorities, she now faces federal wire fraud charges in connection with money that was allegedly taken from the Tomball ISD tax office where she had worked.
The amount involved is substantial. Williams is accused of stealing close to $1 million from the district, and officials said the alleged scheme played out over an extended stretch of time rather than in a single incident.
According to Tomball ISD, the case came to light after suspicious activity was flagged in 2023. That discovery, the district said, led to Williams's immediate termination from her position in the tax office.
In the time since, the district said it has been working to recover the funds that were allegedly stolen. Recouping the money has become part of the district's response as the criminal case moves forward in the federal system.
Tomball ISD also sought to reassure the community, telling residents and families in the district that taxpayer accounts are safe. The district framed the message as an effort to maintain confidence in how it handles public money in the wake of the allegations.
Williams has been charged but not convicted, and the wire fraud case against her will proceed through the federal courts. For a school district that depends on public trust and taxpayer dollars, the allegation that a tax office employee siphoned off close to $1 million marked a serious breach, and one that officials said they were determined to address.
Officials said the alleged scheme unraveled over the course of several years before it was uncovered. Williams was scheduled to make her first appearance in federal court on July 13, the next step in a case that will now play out in the federal system.