Former OC charter school official pleads guilty to theft

SANTA ANA — A former board member of an Orange County-based charter school district pleaded guilty Friday to bilking the district out of $750,000 in what prosecutors called the largest charter school theft in California history when they filed charges in 2014.

Jeremy Landau, 49, of Sherman Oaks, pleaded guilty to a dozen felonies that included misappropriation or embezzlement of monies, misappropriation of public funds, grand theft and money laundering, according to court records. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for property damage exceeding $200,000 and aggravated white collar crime exceeding $500,000.

He was scheduled to be sentenced March 20.

Landau joined the board of directors of California Virtual Education Partners in May 2013. In June of that year, he asked other board members for $750,000 in district funds, vowing to give the district $3 million in January, prosecutors said.

Instead, Landau allegedly moved the money between various accounts and never repaid the district, which is funded by the state.