Federal Investigation at LAUSD

On Wednesday morning, federal agents conducted a coordinated series of searches at the San Pedro home and downtown headquarters of Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). This unexpected operation has raised eyebrows in the nation’s second-largest school district.

The investigation involves the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and it stretches beyond just Southern California. Interestingly, a third search took place in Broward County, Florida. This area is significant as Carvalho previously served as the head of Miami-Dade County Public Schools before his move to Los Angeles in 2022.

Residents nearby reported that FBI agents were visibly present outside Carvalho’s home as early as 6:00 a.m. By mid-morning, portions of the street were blocked off by crime scene tape, with agents seen carrying boxes of what could be crucial evidence from the residence.

“I was with my wife. We were just having coffee when we heard the sirens,” shared local resident John Schafer. “They told us to stay inside, but I still saw a number of agents near our house. One even had a rifle pointed at the place. It was quite startling, really.”

At the same time, another team of investigators was at the LAUSD administrative building on Beaudry Avenue. While the district continued to operate, some staff members were reportedly instructed to leave certain sections of the building due to the ongoing search.

The exact focus of the federal investigation is still unclear. Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, acknowledged the activity without providing specifics, noting that the searches were performed using a court-authorized warrant, which is currently sealed.

LAUSD also issued a statement acknowledging the situation, affirming their cooperation with law enforcement: “We have been informed of law enforcement activity at LAUSD headquarters and the Superintendent’s home. We are cooperating and have no further information at this time.”

In response to inquiries, the office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass added: “LAUSD operates independently and is not governed by the city. We do not have any information on this matter.”

Although no specific targets or allegations have been released, these searches come amid growing scrutiny of the district’s leadership, which has faced several controversies:

• Proposition 28 allegations: A civil lawsuit claims the district misused $76.7 million designated for arts and music funding, using it instead to cover existing staff salaries.

• Technology contracts: There are increasing concerns surrounding a $3 million chatbot system linked to a vendor facing separate fraud charges. Additionally, there have been past issues regarding a $1.57 million donation from an online education company during Carvalho’s tenure in Miami-Dade.

• Political tensions: Carvalho has been outspoken against federal immigration enforcement, recently clashing with the Department of Homeland Security over “safe zones” after incidents of violence near school campuses involving ICE agents.

Alberto Carvalho, who is 61, became superintendent of LAUSD in February 2022. Before that, he led Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 14 years, earning a reputation for improving graduation rates and recognition as National Superintendent of the Year in 2014. Notably, his contract with LAUSD was extended through 2030 just last year.

As of now, no arrests have been made, nor have any charges been filed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not provided a timeline for when the search warrant documents might be unsealed.