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High Museum COO Resigns as $600,000 Theft Probe Referred to Federal Prosecutors

The Woodruff Arts Center expects no operational disruption following the referral to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Overview

  • An independent review by an outside law firm found about $600,000 was stolen and traced the loss to COO Brady Lum over several years.
  • Officials say Lum was placed on administrative leave before submitting his resignation on Dec. 9.
  • The Woodruff Arts Center’s governing board directed counsel to refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta for potential prosecution, with charging decisions still pending.
  • Woodruff has engaged an independent forensic auditor to assess internal controls and has notified donors of the findings.
  • Leaders say the High Museum and Woodruff remain financially stable and plan to pursue restitution.