A Richmond resident has admitted to embezzling nearly $240,000 from a local private school where she worked as business manager. Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, 46, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court.
Court documents show that between May 2021 and June 2024, Peoples-Hilliard was responsible for managing the school’s financial records, conducting bank reconciliations, and handling purchases on behalf of the institution. She had access to a credit card issued in the school’s name for official use.
Between November 2021 and July 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used this credit card for personal expenses. These included travel to cities such as Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Miami; attending performances like Hamilton and concerts by Usher, LL Cool J, and Capitol Jazz; purchasing luxury items including purses and jewelry; and paying rent for her residence. On one occasion in May 2024, she charged $1,591.77 at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing for a personal graduation party.
To hide her actions, Peoples-Hilliard falsified bank reconciliation reports by misclassifying personal expenses as legitimate school costs. Examples include labeling charges for a Royal Caribbean cruise, a hotel stay in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a deposit at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing as expenditures related to ongoing construction at the school.
Peoples-Hilliard is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2026. She faces up to 20 years in prison; however, sentences for federal crimes are often less than the maximum allowed. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after reviewing sentencing guidelines and statutory factors.
“Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.”
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore is prosecuting the case.”
Further details can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Court documents are available through the District Court’s website or PACER under Case No. 3:25-cr-130.
