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Alberto Carvalho, who led the public schools in Miami-Dade County for 14 years and has held the position of superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2022, is currently under federal investigation, which within hours escalated to his temporary suspension with pay.
FBI agents executed search warrants at Carvalho's residence and at the headquarters of the Los Angeles school district.
The proceedings were authorized by a federal judge, although the affidavit supporting the operation remains sealed, so the official accusations and the exact scope of the investigation are not known.
The indefinite suspension of the position was adopted by the Los Angeles Board of Education following the FBI's proceedings and will remain in effect while the investigation is ongoing, reported Telemundo 51.
He will continue to receive his salary, which according to Los Angeles Times, is $440,000 a year.
The official has not been formally charged with any crime.
According to reports from Telemundo 51, part of the investigation seems to be related to the Miami-Dade Public Schools Foundation, formerly known as the Foundation for New Educational Initiatives, which was established during Carvalho's tenure in Miami.
According to the foundation's treasurer, Alan Fein, during his time in Miami, Carvalho did not witness any irregularities and assured that the funds were routinely audited by external accountants.
"We were audited by external accountants every year; every year we received clean reports from the auditors," he said, adding that "the inspector general reviewed what we had done and concluded that there had been no violations."
Another area of the investigation could be related to the failed contract between the Los Angeles district and the technology company AllHere, which developed an AI chatbot system for students.
The company's founder, Joanna Smith-Griffin, was accused in 2024 of securities fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft after filing for bankruptcy.
The FBI records included the residence of Debra Kerr, linked to the company, who allegedly mediated the district's purchase of the system.
So far, Carvalho, 61 years old, has denied any personal responsibility in the agreement and has not made any public comments.
Andrés Chait, head of school operations, will temporarily take over the management of the district, which serves over 500,000 students and is the second largest in the country.
Carvalho has been recognized for his management in both districts.
In Miami-Dade, he received the title of Superintendent of the Year in 2014 from the National Association of Superintendents, and in 2021 he was honored by Spain for the expansion of Spanish language programs.
During the pandemic, he confronted Governor Ron DeSantis for his refusal to require mask usage in Florida schools.
Born in Portugal, he has taken on a critical role regarding federal immigration policies, particularly after the raids in Los Angeles last year.
Alan Fein believes that Carvalho is being targeted for his criticisms of Republican policies.
"It is my personal opinion that this is driven by a completely political motivation, and that our superintendent, the superintendent of Los Angeles, joins a long list of individuals who have dared to criticize the king," he emphasized.
Although the investigation is generating media attention, there are no signs that formal charges have been brought against Carvalho.
The situation reflects the complexity of federal investigations that combine allegations of financial irregularities with the administration of educational programs and technology contracts.
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