Lisa Ann Betz was sentenced to 40 months in prison, followed by 15 years of probation, for First Degree Scheme to Defraud. Betz, 61, of Fort Myers, was the Administrative Assistant and Coordinator of High School Operations for the Florida Southwestern Collegiate High School. She stole from the school in her role collecting funds for various school events. She was ordered to make full restitution of $87,484.68.
Betz was arrested in January 2021 by State Attorney’s Office Investigators and charged with the crime, following an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
Following her resignation from the school, it was discovered that over a 5-year period between 2014 and 2019, she had collected, and failed to deposit, more than $87,000. She also deposited more
than $70,000 in unexplained cash into her personal bank account during that same period. The investigation also showed checks from school vendors were deposited into her personal account.
The defendant requested students to pay in cash only for various club accounts and required all payments be made directly to her. The club accounts were governed by the high school and college
without their knowledge that the funds were being misappropriated.
The initial report was referred to the State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit by the Florida Southwestern State College Police Department. Following the investigation, State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit Investigators generated a warrant for arrest.
Assistant State Attorney J.D. Miller, head of the State Attorney’s Office ECU, prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office