A former tourism leader in New Orleans was arrested and charged with defrauding the publicly funded agency she used to lead.
Former president of New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network Tonnette Rice, 55, faces felony theft charges and filing false public records.
She is accused of writing out agency checks to herself to the tune of $70,000.
Rice resigned from the position in January 2017 around the time the city’s Office of Inspector General began investigating the agency’s spending.
The New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network was created to lure more minority travelers and conventions to the city and was publicly funded with an annual budget of $500,000.
Rice handed herself in to police this week after an arrest warrant was issued.
She used the checks ‘for her personal benefit’ investigators allege in court documents.
Rice could receive up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 if found guilty.
