A former Warren County High School teacher has been indicted on multiple charges following an investigation into the mishandling of student club funds. Jamie Branin, who also served as the sponsor for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club, is facing allegations of diverting over $1,400 from the club for her own use between 2017 and 2024, according to a report by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office.

The Comptroller's investigation was triggered after school officials flagged concerns. Investigators found that the bulk of misappropriated funds stemmed from FBLA fundraising efforts, which included selling chocolate bars and meat sticks. Branin was responsible for collecting these proceeds and was discovered submitting falsified fundraiser reports. In addition to sales, it was determined that Branin had not remitted collections meant for students' membership dues and conference fees, further deepening the financial discrepancies, as detailed in the Comptroller's investigative report.

On August 2, Branin was indicted by the Warren County Grand Jury on several charges including theft of property over $1,000, forgery over $1,000, tampering with government records, and official misconduct. Following the findings, Comptroller Jason Mumpower underscored the need for more robust oversight of fundraiser reports by school officials. "School officials should take more steps to properly review fundraiser reports," Mumpower said in the Comptroller's office statement.

Recommendations have been made to Warren County High School on strengthening internal controls over fundraising processes to avoid similar incidents in the future. To help the public keep informed of such investigations, the Comptroller’s Office has provided a map depicting their investigations and encourages anyone suspecting fraud, waste, or abuse of public money in Tennessee to report it through their hotline or online system. More detailed information and access to the investigative report can be found on the Comptroller's website.