California school staff fell victim to huge fraud after Costco breakfast run blows their cover

Two staff members at a Central Coast charter school have been arrested after allegedly embezzling nearly $300,000 in school funds.

The Monterey International School in Seaside was alerted to the illegal activity after Terry Bumper, the school’s former director of dining services, placed a suspicious order for eggs, bacon and potatoes at Costco.

A school administrator reported the exorbitant shopping spree, which led Seaside police to discover that Bumper, 42, had embezzled $58,800 from the school by ordering products he used in his personal catering business, Flava 2 You, which he launched in 2023.

Bumper is also accused of renting the school’s kitchens for personal use.

His alleged embezzlement led the school to uncover another massive fraud, according to investigators.

Financial Director Rosa Segura allegedly misappropriated more than $238,000 of school funds to pay for personal expenses, including luxury vacations, restaurants, spas and online purchases, authorities said.

The 45-year-old “made Bumper look like a saint by scamming the school,” Borges told the Los Angeles Times. Segura was arrested for embezzlement on October 22.

Bumper was arrested for embezzlement on September 24, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office officially filed embezzlement charges against him on October 20.

“There’s something about this level of theft that really gets under my skin… You’re not just ripping off the school, not just the kids; it’s the taxpayers’ money – you’re ripping off everyone,” Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges told the news outlet.

Bumper pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and was released after posting $20,000 bail.

He denied funneling funds to his private catering business and told Monterey County NOW that his only responsibility was to order food for the school.

“I did everything I could for these kids, and I will never steal from them,” Bumper told the outlet in an interview. According to him, it was his colleague Segura who had final approval of all orders.

At this time, investigators have not been able to determine whether Segura and Bumper worked together or knew of each other’s alleged abuse.

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