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Ex-LAUSD Employee Charged in $22 Million Kickback Scheme

3/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Hong 'Grace' Peng, a former LAUSD IT employee, faces felony charges in a $22 million kickback scheme involving Innive Inc.
Prosecutors say Peng approved Innive payments while receiving more than $3 million from Innive Inc.'s chief executive, Gautham Sampath.
The scheme was described as LAUSD's largest and was uncovered in 2022, with the district cooperating.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Peng and Sampath, with bail set at $500,000 each.

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Story summary

Hong 'Grace' Peng, a former LAUSD IT employee, faces felony charges in a $22 million kickback scheme involving Innive Inc.
Prosecutors say Peng approved Innive payments while receiving more than $3 million from Innive Inc.'s chief executive, Gautham Sampath.
The scheme was described as LAUSD's largest and was uncovered in 2022, with the district cooperating.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Peng and Sampath, with bail set at $500,000 each.