The spidey senses of a Monterey school administrator started tingling when an invoice the food services director submitted for eggs, bacon and potatoes at Costco came with an exorbitant price tag.
It appears the administrator’s suspicions were not without reason. The suspiciously large breakfast bill recently led Seaside Police to crack an alleged embezzlement scandal involving the misuse of nearly $300,000 in public money, according to Police Chief Nick Borges.
This week, the department announced the arrest of two Monterey International School employees in connection with the costly discovery at the publicly funded kindergarten-through-8th-grade charter school.
“There’s something about this level of theft that really gets under my skin,” he told The Times. “You are ripping off not just the school, not just the kids; It’s taxpayer dollars — you are ripping everybody off.”
Food Services Director Terry Bumper, 42, is accused of embezzling at least $58,800 by placing food orders through the school that he then used to supply his private catering business and by renting out the school’s kitchens for personal profit.
On Oct. 20, the Monterey County Dist. Atty.’s Office charged him with one count of embezzlement. He pleaded not guilty and was released that day after posting $20,000 bond, according to court records.
Then two days later, Seaside police arrested Chief Financial Officer Rosa Segura, 45, who is accused of embezzling more than quadruple as much money.
“She made Bumper look like a saint the way she was ripping off the school,” Borges said.
Segura spent more than $238,000 on personal goods and services including Pilates classes, massages, luxury hotel stays, Tesla charging and food delivery services, Borges said.
A case against her is awaiting review by the Dist. Atty.’s Office. She has also posted bail and been released from custody, police said. Bumper and Segura could not be immediately reached for comment.
Detectives have found no evidence indicating the two employees were in cahoots or that the allegations against them were connected. However, Borges noted that, as the person in charge of the school’s finances, Segura was responsible for approving the invoices submitted by Bumper.
“Everything that has to do with money that goes through that school, she sees it,” he said.
Police believe the alleged misconduct dates back to at least 2022 when Bumper was brought on as the new food services director. He quickly became a beloved addition to the school, credited with introducing delicious new menu items for students, Borges said.
“They really embraced him and thought this was an incredible new hire for them,” he said. “There was no reason for them to have complete oversight of what he was doing, and he took advantage of it.”
A 2025 profile on Bumper by local publication Edible Monterey Bay credits him with transforming “an unpopular heat-and-serve lunch program into a from-scratch operation” that featured locally grown produce. Student participation in meals doubled under his revamped meal program, the news outlet reported.
The profile also notes that he previously served prison time for writing bad checks and for fraud, but came to Monterey in 2021 seeking a fresh start by enrolling in a 12-month recovery and culinary program.
The Seaside Police Department received the tip about Bumper’s bizarre breakfast invoice in August. Detectives then found a pattern of invoices, often for food items inconsistent with school meals, but matching dishes on the menu of his private catering business Flava 2 You, said Borges. Some of the purchases were also placed during times when school was not in session, he added.
Police further allege that Bumper accepted Venmo payments to rent the school kitchen out to people who needed a large cooking facility for special events or catering.
While detectives examined the patterns around Bumper’s spending, they discovered that Segura appeared to be committing fraud of her own. In addition to using a school credit card for personal expenses, Borges said she used her role as head of school finances to write checks to herself using the school’s pocketbook.
“When you have people entrusted with these very sensitive roles taking advantage of the system for their own self-gain,” said Borges. “It’s inappropriate, it’s illegal, it’s disgusting.
The Monterey International School did not respond to The Times request for comment Friday. Borges said the school has been fully compliant with the department and forthcoming with financial records.
“They feel completely violated by people they trusted,” he said, “and they want everyone held accountable.”
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