Woman pleads guilty to stealing scholarship money

ST. PETERSBURG - A St. Petersburg educator and activist has pleaded guilty to charges that she stole more than $250,000 from state scholarship programs intended to help low-income and disabled students.

Marva Dennard was scheduled to go on trial Tuesday for grand theft and aggravated white-collar crime.

The Florida Department of Financial Services says Dennard was supposedly helping students get money for college when she fraudulently took funds from the John M. McKay Scholarship for students with disabilities program and the Corporate Tax Credit scholarship program. She was arrested in late 2007.

Under a plea deal, Dennard faces a maximum of 69 months in prison. She has agreed to pay $200,000 in restitution.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 10.