A longtime Catholic school principal is accused of defrauding her former school out of more than $238,000 in a paycheck scheme that spanned nearly a decade, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO).
Lori St. Thomas, 61, of Coral Springs, turned herself in Thursday at the Broward County Courthouse. Deputies said she faces a charge of obtaining property over $50,000 by fraud.
St. Thomas served as principal of St. Coleman Catholic School in Pompano Beach from 2004 to 2024 before transferring to Mary Help of Christians Catholic School in Parkland, the Archdiocese of Miami confirmed. She had been employed by the Archdiocese since 1986 until her termination in October 2024.
Investigators said that between 2016 and 2025, St. Thomas funneled “unauthorized extra pay” into a separate direct deposit account, totaling $238,196. The alleged scheme surfaced when St. Coleman representatives discovered irregularities and alerted deputies.
St. Thomas was booked into the BSO Main Jail and released on a $50,000 bond Thursday afternoon.
The Archdiocese of Miami released a brief statement, saying: “As this is an active legal matter, we are unable to further comment at this time.”
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