Hardee High School bookkeeper accused of stealing more than $300,000, manipulating records: FDLE

WAUCHULA, Fla. - A Wauchula man was arrested on Monday for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a local school and manipulating records to cover it up, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Officials say 52-year-old Elvis Raymond Gray was the sole bookkeeper at Hardee High School. FDLE began an investigation when the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office reached out about misappropriation of funds at the school.

Authorities say the complaint accused Gray of using a school credit card to make unauthorized purchases for personal gain. According to the FDLE, agents looked at records including Gray’s credit card statements, the bookkeeping records for Hardee High School, and Gray’s personal accounts.

Courtesy: Hardee County Sheriff’s Office

Investigators say he may have stolen more than $300,000 between 2016 and 2021.

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According to officials, the school’s petty cash fund was also being fraudulently deposited into Gray’s personal accounts and used for personal purchases. To cover the missing funds, authorities say he manipulated deposit slips and receipts.

Officials served a search warrant at Gray’s home in December 2023 and seized multiple items.

He was arrested on one count of scheme to defraud $50,000 or more (a felony) and booked into the Hardee County Jail without bond pending his first appearance.

The case is being investigated by FDLE Tampa Bay and will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, Tenth Judicial Circuit.

"The thorough and diligent work of our agents and analysts is the best example of service and integrity that we can give to the youth and staff who were affected by this person’s self-serving actions," FDLE Tampa Bay Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell said.

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