A former school executive in Madera has been indicted by a federal grand jury for embezzling funds from a charter school that serves students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Nicholas M. Retana, 67, is accused of using school money meant for disadvantaged students, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Retana, who was arraigned on Monday after the indictment was unsealed, previously served as the founder and executive director of the school until early 2020. The charges state that he mislabeled expenses in the school’s financial records and gave false information when questioned about them. The misuse of school funds reportedly included the purchase of Ford F-150 Raptor pickup trucks for his sons and a $12,000 payment to a person identified as a sex worker and relationship coach, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Cody S. Chapple. Retana is facing charges that could lead to a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The final sentence will be determined by the court based on federal sentencing guidelines and other legal factors, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
