A Mercer County school district is investigating a suspected wire fraud scheme after nearly $180,000 in payments tied to construction projects vanished, going unnoticed for more than a year.
Officials at Princeton Public Schools say the transfers occurred during active construction in fall 2024, when the district believed it was paying a vendor involved in referendum-funded renovations. Instead, the three payments totaling roughly $178,000 were diverted elsewhere, according to NJ.com.
However, the issue flew under the radar for more than a year, only surfacing in December of 2025, when the vendor hired for construction contacted the district asking about the missing payments. That inquiry triggered an internal review, revealing that the three payments were sent, but never received.
The district immediately notified legal counsel, and filed a police report.
School officials publicly revealed the situation earlier this month during a Board of Education meeting, pointing to email-based wire fraud as the most likely culprit. The vendor involved has not been publicly identified. No arrests have been made as the investigation is ongoing.
Despite the large dollar figure, district officials are emphasizing that taxpayers are unlikely to be financially affected, indicating that the district does not expect to absorb the loss.
The payments were connected to construction projects approved by voters, which funded renovations and improvements across multiple district buildings.
Official say they are working with law enforcement, attorneys, and insurers as the review moves forward. The district is pledging to keep the public informed as more details arise.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.