North Dakota Schools Warned After $5M Fraud Scam

State Superintendent Bachmeier advises districts to be vigilant against impersonation attacks

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Dickinson Public School District was recently scammed out of nearly $5 million by a fraudster posing as a trusted vendor, prompting State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier to issue a warning to districts across North Dakota. Bachmeier, a former school business manager, has been holding listening sessions to gather input from administrators, teachers, and civic leaders, including a recent visit to the Valley City Public School District.

Why it matters

School districts hold large budgets and often work with many vendors, making them vulnerable targets for sophisticated financial scams. This incident highlights the need for increased cybersecurity measures and fraud prevention training to protect public education funds.

The details

According to the report, the Dickinson Public School District was deceived by a fraudster who impersonated a trusted vendor and convinced the district to wire nearly $5 million to a fraudulent account. In response, State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier has been meeting with districts across North Dakota, including a recent visit to Valley City, to discuss steps schools can take to avoid falling victim to similar scams.

  • The Dickinson Public School District was scammed out of nearly $5 million this week.
  • Superintendent Bachmeier held listening sessions in Valley City and Litchville-Marion on February 11th.

The players

Levi Bachmeier

The newly appointed State School Superintendent of North Dakota, who previously served as a business manager for the West Fargo Public School District.

Jackie Cordie

The business manager for the Valley City Public School District, who has received suspicious emails from those impersonating trusted vendors.

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What they’re saying

“She talked about the fail-safe steps she must take to avoid being a victim of this scam.”

— Jackie Cordie, Valley City Public School District Business Manager (NewsDakota.com)

What’s next

Superintendent Bachmeier plans to continue his listening tour at school districts across North Dakota, providing guidance on fraud prevention and cybersecurity best practices.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of heightened vigilance and robust financial controls within school districts to protect taxpayer funds from sophisticated scams targeting public institutions.