The investigation that led to last week’s FBI raid at the home and office of Los Angeles Unified School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was sparked more than a year ago. It stemmed from a referral by New York prosecutors working on a criminal fraud case involving a technology company with a failed school district contract, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
It was not until last week that the extent of the inquiry became public. Sources said grand jury subpoenas have been issued to individuals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where Carvalho served as superintendent before coming to L.A. in 2022. The subpoenas seek records from the district’s inspector general and the former Foundation for New Education Initiatives—a nonprofit organization overseen by Carvalho while serving in Miami. The foundation is now called the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Foundation.
In 2020, the Miami-Dade schools inspector general concluded that a $1.57 million donation Carvalho helped secure for the foundation by a firm with a pending district contract did not violate state or district ethics policies but created an appearance of impropriety.
Neither the Miami-Dade County School District nor foundation leadership immediately responded to requests for comment. Federal authorities have not identified the target of the investigation, nor accused anyone of wrongdoing. However, sources told The Times last week that the case is connected to AllHere, the firm that developed a chatbot for the nation’s second-largest school system.
At least one person associated with the transactions of the defunct tech company AllHere is cooperating with federal prosecutors, according to two sources familiar with the investigation. Joanna Smith-Griffin, the founder and former chief executive of AllHere, was arrested in 2024 and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
By then, the envisioned L.A. Unified School District chatbot known as “Ed” had been withdrawn from service. Ed was an artificial intelligence (AI) tool billed by Carvalho in August 2024 as revolutionary for students’ education and the interaction between LAUSD and the families it serves. However, the tool was never fully deployed.
Sources say prosecutors involved in the AllHere case obtained evidence related to Carvalho that they passed along to California prosecutors. Along with Carvalho’s San Pedro home and LAUSD headquarters office in downtown Los Angeles, the FBI also searched the Florida home of Debra Kerr, a salesperson whose clients included AllHere. Kerr had longtime ties to Carvalho when he led Miami-Dade schools. Efforts to reach Kerr and Carvalho were unsuccessful, and neither has made any public statements.
Kerr has claimed in court documents that the company owes her $630,000.
Prosecutors allege that Smith-Griffin fraudulently obtained nearly $10 million from AllHere’s investors. She is accused of using some of those funds to put a $150,000 down payment on a house in North Carolina and to pay for her wedding expenses. Smith-Griffin pleaded not guilty to charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Her lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
The Los Angeles Unified School Board has held three closed-door meetings since the raid as it grapples with the stunning developments involving Carvalho, one of the most prominent K-12 education leaders in the nation. On Friday, the board voted 7 to 0 to place Carvalho on indefinite leave and named senior administrator Andres Chait as acting superintendent.
Chait, on Monday, promised continuity and a focus on students in brief remarks before the school board went into closed session to address labor negotiations and the fallout from last week’s FBI raid.
Board members left the door open for Carvalho’s return by terming Chait an “acting superintendent” to fill in temporarily. The board avoided using the term “interim superintendent,” apparently to avoid implying that Chait is serving while a process is underway to choose a successor for Carvalho.
After the roll call on Monday, Chait spoke briefly.
“I want to begin by expressing my deep respect for our extraordinary educators and employees,” said Chait, who has worked 27 years for L.A. Unified. “That respect comes from serving this community for nearly three decades as an educator, administrator, and leader.”
Chait emphasized that he does not intend to shift policy in his caretaker role.
“As acting superintendent,” Chait stated, “my top priority is to keep Los Angeles Unified steady and focused on our core mission: educating, supporting, and caring for the students of Los Angeles.”
He added, “Our schools will remain places of safety, consistency, and opportunity. Teaching and learning will continue uninterrupted, and our plans and priorities will move forward. We remain committed to academic excellence and student well-being. Our core values remain unchanged.”
While Chait did not mention Carvalho directly, he alluded to the difficult situation at hand.
“I know transitions can create uncertainty, but our district is strong. We have dedicated leaders at every level, and together, we will ensure stability and continuity. During this time, I will focus on supporting our schools and keeping students at the center of every decision.”
During public comment, ten parent activists signed up to speak. A few commended Chait personally but said he had fallen short in managing school safety issues under his immediate previous role as chief of operations. These parents, largely supporters of school police, urged for the return of officers to on-campus duties.
In June 2020, the school board made cuts to the school police force and ended their on-campus presence in most situations.
Chait, a district parent himself, has served as an elementary school principal and regional administrator, among other roles. He has regularly presented at board meetings. Overall, Chait’s selection has been well received.
“We believe Andres Chait has the experience and commitment necessary to keep the district moving forward,” said a statement from GPSN, a local education advocacy group. “At a time of uncertainty, maintaining continuity in strategy and prioritizing improved student outcomes must remain the district’s top priority.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-02/lausd-andres-superintendent-chait-carvalho-fbi-raid