Los Angeles Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho Placed on Paid Leave During FBI Probe
FBI served search warrants at Carvalho’s home and LAUSD headquarters; board placed him on paid leave and named Andres Chait acting superintendent.
Overview
The Los Angeles Unified School District board unanimously placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid leave Friday after two days of closed deliberations.
The move came two days after the FBI served search warrants at Carvalho’s home and the district’s headquarters, officials said.
The district said it is cooperating with the investigation, and officials named Chief of School Operations Andres Chait as acting superintendent.
The district serves more than 500,000 students, Carvalho became superintendent in 2022, and he had signed a four-year, $1.7 million contract two weeks earlier.
A source said the probe predates the Trump administration and is into allegations Carvalho may have received kickbacks while superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the story factually and restrained, noting FBI search warrants and explicitly stating there are no charges while providing context on the AllHere collapse, Carvalho’s denials, and past accolades. Language avoids loaded terms, sources are balanced, and reporting prioritizes verifiable facts over conjecture.
Sources (8)
FAQ
According to sources, the investigation centers around alleged white-collar crime and predates the Trump administration.[1][2] Specifically, a source with direct knowledge stated the probe involves allegations that Carvalho may have received kickbacks from a business while serving as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.[2] The investigation also appears connected to AllHere, a defunct AI chatbot company that had a $3 million contract with LAUSD before its founder, Joanna Smith-Griffin, was arrested and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in late 2024.[3][4] However, the FBI has not publicly accused Carvalho of wrongdoing, and the underlying affidavit remains sealed.[2]
Andres Chait currently serves as LAUSD Chief of School Operations and has been named acting superintendent following Carvalho's placement on administrative leave.[1] According to reporting, Chait is widely seen as well-liked, capable, and loyal, and he is not part of Carvalho's group from Florida—he preceded Carvalho in the Los Angeles district by two decades.[4] This background made him an apparently safe choice for the interim leadership role.
The FBI executed search warrants at three locations: Carvalho's San Pedro home, LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, and a property in Broward County, Florida.[4] The Florida property belongs to Debra Kerr, who worked with AllHere and is a longtime associate of Carvalho dating to his tenure as Miami-Dade County superintendent.[4] The Miami Herald reported that AllHere owes Kerr more than $600,000.[5] These connections suggest the investigation links Carvalho to the defunct AI company through multiple parties and locations.
Over his five years in Los Angeles, Carvalho has been lauded for improvements to the district's academic performance and student attendance, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][7] He received similar praise during his tenure as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where the national superintendents association named him Superintendent of the Year in 2014.[1] However, he also faces a $77 million lawsuit from former Superintendent Austin Beutner over the misuse of arts funds under Proposition 28.[3]
Yes, Carvalho has been placed on **paid** administrative leave.[1][4] He earns $440,000 annually and had signed a four-year contract renewal just two weeks prior to the FBI raids.[7] His paid status means he continues to receive compensation while the investigation proceeds.
History
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