The Woodruff Arts Center, which oversees the High Museum and other arts institutions, said COO Brady Lum resigned and the matter was referred to federal prosecutors.
ATLANTA — The chief operating officer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta resigned after a review found $600,000 was stolen, the museum’s parent organization said Tuesday.
According to the Woodruff Arts Center, which oversees both the High and two other Atlanta art institutions, High Museum COO Brady Lum resigned after an independent review was triggered by the discovery of “financial irregularities” and then identifying $600,00 specifically that was stolen.
A statement from the Woodruff Arts Center did not explicitly accuse Lum of taking the money, but it said the review “ultimately traced the irregularities back to” him. The organization said the matter was being referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta “for criminal prosecution.”
“he U.S. Attorney’s Office will determine next steps,” the Woodruff Arts Center said. “We do not anticipate any impact on the High Museum or the Woodruff Arts Center’s financial stability or operations. We’ve engaged an independent forensic auditor and other experts to review this matter and identify improvements to strengthen the High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center’s processes. We are committed to strong stewardship of the generous support entrusted to us by our patrons and community.”
The Northern District of Georgia for the U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a statement Tuesday evening:
“We received a referral from the Woodruff Arts Center’s attorneys today and relayed it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review,” he said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said in a statement: “We received a referral from the Woodruff Arts Center’s attorneys today and relayed it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review.”
