OAK HILL, FL– The principal of a Florida charter school has resigned from her position after she allegedly sent $100,000 of the school’s funds to an internet scammer who was pretending to be Elon Musk.
Dr. Jan McGee, who has served as the principal for Burns Science and Technology since 2011, resigned on Tuesday following the incident.
According to the report, McGee had been chatting with the Elon Musk fake account online for about four months and eventually decided to write a $100,000 check out to the scammer using the school’s account.
Reporters with WESH say that McGee’s goal was to have Musk to invest money in the STEM school.
McGee told reporters that though she is a “very smart lady, Well-educated” woman but she was groomed and fell for the scam:
“Grooming is when you talk to somebody and you believe in them, and they get you to trust them that this is really real, and so I fell for it,” McGee said.
A business manager for the school noticed the transaction and was able to cancel it before the check was cashed.
A school administrator also allegedly warned McGee that it was a scam.
Burns Science and Technology is an A-rated school with just under 1000 students. The school also has a long waiting list of students wanting to attend.
According to those with knowledge of the situation, McGee has been a large part of the school’s success but a lapse in judgment cost her, her job.