Riverwood International Charter School

“Report details alleged fraud by former Riverwood principal.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA), 3/27/2012

Former Riverwood International Charter School Principal Eddie Echols stole almost $25,000 by making charges to a fraudulent credit card, according to a police report the Fulton County School District released Monday night.

Eddie Echols, who resigned last fall from Riverwood in Sandy Springs, has been charged with theft by taking, financial identity fraud and financial transaction card fraud, according to the report.

The report, compiled by Fulton County schools Police Chief Felipe Usury, alleges that Echols admitted to making inappropriate charges because he had financial troubles...

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“Riverwood athletic director resigns.” Reporter Newspapers (GA), 10/6/2011

Another high-profile administrator at Riverwood International Charter School has resigned.

Athletic Director Jeff Holloway, who was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 28 after various allegations were made against him, has resigned as athletic director and teacher at the school. Fulton County Schools executive director of communications Samantha Evans confirmed the resignation Oct. 6.

According to an investigator’s report, the school system investigated parent complaints that Holloway mingled personal funds with school funds...

This is the second resignation since the start of the school year.

School Principal Eddie Echols resigned earlier in September due to an audit report that found financial mismanagement...

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“Popular Sandy Springs principal resigns amid audit revelations.” WSBTV (GA), 9/20/2011

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A popular Fulton County school principal resigned from his post Friday after school officials said a routine audit found "inappropriate use of financial resources."

Eddie Echols had been principal of Riverwood International Charter High School in Sandy Springs since 2002 and had been with the school since 1993.

According to an internal audit obtained by Channel 2's Mike Petchenik, school officials discovered Echols had used an "unauthorized" American Express card linked to the school to make personal purchases. Auditors wrote that Echols reimbursed the district for some of the purchases, but that they could not verify that all purchases were reimbursed because Echols didn't provide a detailed list of all expenses.

An investigative letter obained by Petchenik said that Echols admitted to school investigators he had used the card to pay for "rehearsal dinner" for his family and that he had purchased tickets for his wife to attend a conference with him.

"But I paid them right back," the letter said Echols told investigators. The letter said Echols "also provided that he had encountered financial difficulty, which is inferred as a possible reason for use of the credit card for personal expenses."

Fulton County School District spokeswoman Samantha Evans told Petchenik there was no evidence Echols stole any money or that he broke the law, but the audit revealed he had misused "several thousand dollars" during the 2008-2009 school year...