Purchases draw investigators' attention
The Los Angeles Times reported that an administrator questioned a Costco order placed by Food Services Director Terry Bumper, 42. The publicly funded K-8 charter school in Seaside, California, notified police of possible embezzlement involving one employee on Aug. 12, 2026.
Investigators allege that Bumper diverted $58,800 from the school. They say food bought through the school matched offerings at his private catering company, Flava 2 You, rather than the student menu. Some orders were placed while school was out of session, police said. According to SFGATE, Bumper established the Southern comfort food business in 2023.
Police also accuse Bumper of collecting payments through Venmo from people renting the school kitchen for catering or special events that required a large cooking space.
Bumper was arrested, and the Monterey County District Attorney's Office charged him with one felony count of embezzlement on Oct. 20. Court records cited by the Los Angeles Times show that he pleaded not guilty and posted a $20,000 bond that day.
Inquiry expands to the chief financial officer
As investigators examined Bumper's spending, they uncovered a larger alleged theft involving Chief Financial Officer Rosa Segura. Police Chief Nick Borges described the alleged conduct as something that "made Bumper look like a saint."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Segura allegedly used $238,000 for personal expenses, including luxury hotel stays, Pilates classes, massages, Tesla charging and food deliveries. Borges said investigators found evidence of forged administrators' signatures on checks and personal purchases charged to school credit cards. Salon visits and clothing were also among the expenses he identified.
Segura was arrested on Oct. 22, two days after Bumper. Both were subsequently released on bail, and police announced the arrests on Oct. 28. Segura had not been formally charged by the district attorney's office at the time of the report.
Although Segura approved expenses Bumper submitted, police say they have found no provable evidence that the two collaborated. Their alleged thefts together amount to approximately $296,800. Seaside police told KSBW that neither remains employed by the school.
Bumper's school record and denial
Police believe the alleged misconduct began at least as far back as 2022, the year Bumper became food services director. His work initially drew praise: the Los Angeles Times cited a 2025 Edible Monterey Bay profile crediting him with replacing an unpopular heat-and-serve lunch program with meals made from scratch. Student meal participation doubled under the revamped program.
That profile also described Bumper's earlier prison time for writing bad checks and fraud, according to the Los Angeles Times. It reported that he arrived in Monterey in 2021 seeking a fresh start and enrolled in a 12-month recovery and culinary program.
Speaking to Monterey County Now, Bumper denied spending school money for his own benefit and said his role was simply to order food.
"I did everything I could for them kids, and I would never steal from them kids," Bumper said. "I did my best."
