Karen Anne Christiansen Gets 4+ Years for Corruption Tied to Newport-Mesa Schools Chief

By Matt Coker Thu., Jan. 5 2012 at 4:09 PM

Categories: Crime-iny, School Daze

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Karen Anne Christiansen, the former Beverly Hills School District official who received racy emails and secret financial bonuses from future Newport-Mesa Unified School District Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard, was sentenced today to fours years and four months in state prison for felony conflict of interest. Last month, the Los Angeles County school system's former facilities director was convicted of steering a building contract exceeding $1.3 million her own way.

Jeffrey Hubbard

Up next in Los Angeles County Superior Court is Hubbard, who remains on the job in Costa Mesa leading Newport-Mesa schools. His trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday on three felony charges accusing him of misappropriating thousands of dollars in public funds.

Hubbard is accused of secretly giving Christiansen about $20,000 and a $350 monthly car allowance without the Beverly Hills school board's approval. The third count against him surrounds a secret raise supposedly lavished on Nora Roque when she worked with Hubbard in Beverly Hills. She later followed him to Newport-Mesa.

To build their case, prosecutors have released evidence of love pledges and oral-sex references Hubbard and Christensen exchanged, as well as photos like this she sent to another district employee:

Hubbard has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney has indicated he will file a motion arguing that the statute of limitations on some or all of the charges has passed and that they should be dismissed.

The majority of Newport-Mesa trustees are standing by their embattled superintendent.

Click here for OC Weekly's Jeffrey Hubbard archives

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