Former Arlington Education Association President Charged With Embezzling $400K

ARLINGTON, VA — A former president of the Arlington Education Association has been charged with four counts of embezzlement and is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from the organization, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Ingrid Gant, 54, of Woodbridge was arrested in Prince William County on Monday and taken to the county’s Adult Detention Center and released on an unsecured bond, police said.

Fairfax County Police participated in the investigation of the allegations against Gant because the AEA is headquartered in the Bailey’s Crossroads neighborhood of Fairfax County.

The AEA represents more than 15,000 Arlington public school teachers and staff members. It advocates for employee rights, fair treatment under APS policies and procedures, and a competitive employee compensation package.

"AEA is pursuing all legal channels to recoup any lost funds and hold those responsible accountable," AEA said in a statement to Fox 5. "Under its new leadership, AEA has already implemented stronger financial controls and transparent reporting practices to ensure sound operation."

Gant was president of the AEA for six years until she was fired last spring. Gant failed to provide financial reports and failed to file tax returns, which brought concerns to the organization's board members, police said.

Calibre CPA Group was hired to conduct an audit of the funds. After six months of reviewing the activity, it was determined Gant embezzled $410,782.10 throughout her tenure as president, police said.

Fairfax County Police detectives were notified of the potential theft last September and began their investigation, while working with the accounting firm and the AEA to review the documentation. Detectives determined Gant provided herself with multiple bonuses and used debit cards for unauthorized purchases, police said.