Details of $22M Kickback Scheme at Troubled LAUSD Revealed in Court

An alleged fraudster within the Los Angeles Unified School District appeared in a downtown court on Friday charged with taking part in a huge money laundering scam. Hong “Grace” Peng, 53 — who worked as a technical project manager for LAUSD — pled not guilty to facilitating an alleged eye-popping $22 million kickback scheme. The case comes as the scandal-plagued school district reels from fraud claims against Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.