School District Hit by Fraud; 3 Arrested

Three people have been arrested in connection with a fraudulent check-drafting scheme in which more than $9,000 was stolen from the Lynwood Unified School District, authorities said Monday.

Two of the suspects, who were employed in the district’s payroll division, allegedly used the district’s computer to draft fraudulent pay checks, sheriffs’ deputies said.

Five of nine fraudulent checks, amounting to $9,200, were cashed before the scheme was discovered, Detective William Winn said. Authorities also discovered uncashed checks totaling $8,500.

Arthur Miles, 23, who was a temporary worker in payroll, and Phyllis Bedford, 30, a district employee for about two years, were arrested earlier this month and freed on $2,500 bail.

It could not be determined if they are still employed by the district. A district official declined to comment.

The third suspect, Rodney Howerton, 29, a friend of Bedford, allegedly cashed a $2,000 check, Winn said. Howerton remains in jail on a parole violation.

The scheme was uncovered after an employee became suspicious.