Two former LSU employees are facing theft charges after allegedly stealing thousands in cash from the university bursar’s office.
Yetiv Knight, a former assistant director of customer service, is accused of stealing $2,500 in cash. Tonya Harvey, a former accounting technician, is accused of stealing $9,656 in cash. Both were arrested in February and face felony theft charges. The Illuminator recently learned of the arrests via an anonymous tip.
LSU spokesman Todd Woodward confirmed both employees have been fired from the university.
According to arrest and warrant documents the Illuminator obtained in a public records request, the alleged thefts were discovered during a random audit of the bursar’s office, which collects student tuition and fees and disperses student aid. It discovered money missing from cash bags assigned to the two employees.
Knight admitted to taking the money to pay her son’s bail from a recent arrest, according to the documents. She attempted to return the cash after learning of the audit, the documents noted, when she was discovered with a wad of cash in her hand.
Harvey is in a pre-trial diversion program for first-time offenders, according to court documents. Both are out on bond and a trial date has not yet been set.