The Million Is Back
School Recovers Stolen Construction Payment
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Swan Agency Real Estate.
BAR HARBOR—MDI Regional School Superintendent Mike Zboray announced Tuesday that the bond money that was stolen on March 11 has been recovered.
“As previously communicated, a payment of $1,066,754, intended for Wright Ryan Construction for the Bar Harbor School build, was diverted due to a fraudulent bank account change request,” Zboray wrote in a letter to the Bar Harbor community, March 18. “I am pleased to inform you that the funds have been successfully recovered and are pending return to the Bar Harbor Banking and Trust account.”
A thief had requested to change the bank account information that had been submitted in January. School staff then processed that information.
Zboray wrote in a statement to the Bar Harbor community, March 14, “As a result, when Wright-Ryan Construction submitted a legitimate payment request on February 10, 2025, for $1,066,754 for the Bar Harbor School construction project, the funds were unknowingly transferred to the fraudulent account.”
School staff reported the issue immediately to the Bar Harbor Police Department, the town government, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The attack is being investigated by the FBI.
The funds in that account where the money had been transferred to were then frozen and secured.
“I spoke with the Bar Harbor Bank president this morning, who was grateful for the coordination between the town, school, and police department, who all worked together throughout the discovery and response to the incident. The FBI will continue its investigation and hopefully bring the individuals who perpetrated this crime to justice,” Zboray said.
While the school department uses the town’s EIN “for financial processing, town accounts remain secure,” the town office said in a press release later Friday afternoon.
Zboray said that so far, he’s thoroughly reviewed the school district’s financial procedures with its cybersecurity team, reinforced safeguards, and will be giving accounts payable staff additional training.
Voters approved the bond for the new school in June, 2023 with a resounding vote of 1,005-502. The $62.9 million tax-exempt general obligation bond was sold in September 2024.
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