LAUSD Puts Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Paid Leave After FBI Raids Tied to Failed AllHere AI Contract
The Los Angeles Unified School District board unanimously placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave after the FBI executed search warrants at his Los Angeles home, LAUSD headquarters and a third property tied to a former AllHere salesperson, and named chief of school operations Andres Chait as interim superintendent following two days of closed‑door deliberations. Reporting links the raids to the failed AllHere “Ed” AI contract — LAUSD paid about $3 million before dropping the chatbot months later and the company’s CEO was later indicted — and a source says the probe may predate Carvalho’s LA tenure and involve alleged kickbacks tied to his Miami‑Dade tenure; Carvalho has denied personal involvement and authorities have not publicly disclosed details.
📌 Key Facts
- On Feb. 27 the Los Angeles Unified School District Board voted unanimously, after nearly two days of closed‑door deliberations, to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave and appointed chief of operations Andres Chait as interim superintendent.
- Federal agents executed three search warrants tied to the probe: at Carvalho’s Los Angeles home, at LAUSD headquarters, and at a third property near Miami linked to former AllHere salesperson Debra Kerr.
- Authorities have not publicly disclosed the full scope of the FBI investigation; a source told CBS News the probe predates the Trump administration and allegedly focuses on kickbacks Carvalho may have received from a business while he was superintendent in Miami‑Dade, and is not directly tied to his LAUSD work.
- Carvalho had heavily promoted AllHere’s 'Ed' AI chatbot in 2024; LAUSD paid the company $3 million, dropped the project about three months after rollout, and AllHere later collapsed into bankruptcy while its founder and CEO, Joanna Smith‑Griffin, was indicted on charges including securities fraud, wire fraud and identity theft.
- Carvalho has denied personal involvement in selecting AllHere and said he would convene a task force to review what went wrong with the project; there has been no public follow‑up announcing findings from that review.
- Carvalho’s background: he rose from poverty in Portugal and early undocumented status in the U.S. to a career as a teacher and superintendent, earning national recognition and being credited with gains in graduation rates and student performance in Miami‑Dade and Los Angeles, particularly for Black and Hispanic students.
- A prior ethics controversy in 2020 in Miami involved a nonprofit Carvalho founded soliciting a $1.57 million donation from an online education firm that did business with the district; an inspector general found no policy violation but said the solicitation created an 'appearance of impropriety.'
- The developments have significant stakes for LAUSD, which serves more than 500,000 students.
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 28, 2026
1:06 AM
Superintendent of Los Angeles schools placed on paid leave amid federal investigation
New information:
- Confirms the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education’s vote was unanimous and occurred after two days of closed‑door deliberations.
- Clarifies that the FBI executed three search warrants: at Carvalho’s LA home, at LAUSD headquarters, and at a third property near Miami tied to former AllHere salesperson Debra Kerr.
- Spells out that LAUSD paid AllHere $3 million for the ‘Ed’ AI chatbot and dropped the contract about three months after rollout, before the company collapsed into bankruptcy and its founder was indicted.
- Notes that there have been no public announcements about the internal task force Carvalho promised to examine what went wrong with the AllHere project.
- Adds biographical and reputation context on Carvalho’s prior tenure in Miami and national recognition, underscoring the stakes of the investigation.
1:02 AM
Los Angeles school superintendent placed on paid leave during federal probe
New information:
- Confirms the LAUSD Board of Education voted unanimously on Feb. 27 to place Alberto Carvalho on paid leave after two days of closed‑door deliberations.
- Restates that LAUSD serves more than 500,000 students and that Andres Chait, chief of school operations, has been formally designated to 'take over the helm' as interim leader.
- Clarifies timeline and scope of the AllHere deal: Carvalho heavily promoted the AllHere‑built 'Ed' AI chatbot in 2024; LAUSD paid the company $3 million, then dropped the project about three months later before AllHere collapsed and its CEO Joanna Smith‑Griffin was indicted for securities fraud, wire fraud and identity theft.
- Adds that Carvalho has publicly denied personal involvement in selecting AllHere and had promised a task force review of what went wrong, with no public follow‑up to date.
12:08 AM
L.A. schools chief Alberto Carvalho placed on administrative leave amid FBI probe
New information:
- LAUSD’s board voted unanimously, after nearly two days of closed‑session meetings, to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave.
- The board appointed chief of operations Andres Chait as interim superintendent while the federal investigation proceeds.
- A source with direct knowledge says the FBI probe predates the Trump administration and focuses on alleged kickbacks Carvalho may have received from a business while he was superintendent of Miami‑Dade County Public Schools, and is not directly tied to his work at LAUSD.
February 26, 2026
4:29 AM
What to know about the LA superintendent whose home was searched by FBI
New information:
- Adds detailed biographical background on Alberto Carvalho, including his upbringing in poverty in Portugal, early undocumented status in the U.S., and career path from Miami teacher to superintendent.
- Describes Carvalho’s record in Miami‑Dade County Public Schools and Los Angeles, including recognized gains in graduation rates and student performance, especially among Black and Hispanic students.
- Highlights Carvalho’s public opposition to Trump‑era immigration enforcement tactics around schools, including his 2025 call for no immigration raids within a two‑block radius of LAUSD campuses and distribution of 'family preparedness' packets.
- Recalls a prior 2020 Miami ethics controversy where a nonprofit he founded solicited a $1.57 million donation from an online education firm doing business with the district; an inspector general found no policy violation but said it created an 'appearance of impropriety.'
- Confirms that authorities still have not disclosed what the current FBI investigation is about.
February 25, 2026