A 57-year-old Pickerington, Ohio, woman is due back in Door County Circuit Court on July 27 after allegedly defrauding the Southern Door School District out of nearly $68,000 last fall.

The Door County Advocate reported earlier this week that Laura E. Griffin was charged with two felony counts of theft by false representation involving amounts between $10,000 and $100,000.

The case stems from two invoices Griffin allegedly sent to the district in August and October for school-related supplies and services she claimed had been provided.

According to the district, officials became aware of the incident shortly after the funds were disbursed and contacted School Resource Officer Clayton Paral. That prompted an investigation by the Door County Sheriff's Office, which traced the funds to Griffin's account.

The district has since recovered the money lost in the phishing scam, minus its insurance deductible.

"We take our responsibility to safeguard public funds and district systems very seriously," the district said in a statement. "Although no process can eliminate every risk, these changes provide stronger layers of review, accountability, and cybersecurity protection. We are committed to doing everything possible to prevent a similar incident from occurring again."

In the months since, the district has implemented several additional safeguards, including updated purchasing training, expanding the types of purchases that require a purchase order, and incorporating additional security features into its email system.