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Former High Museum COO expected to take plea
Former High Museum executive Brady Lum faces significant prison time after allegedly embezzling over $500,000 in nonprofit and taxpayer funds to buy luxury items.
ATLANTA - A former High Museum of Art executive was arraigned in federal court Tuesday on charges that he embezzled more than $500,000 from the institution and taxpayers over a seven-year period.
What we know:
U.S. Attorney for Northern Georgia Theodore Herzberg says former High Museum Chief Operating Officer Brady Lum treated the nonprofit’s checking account like a "personal piggy bank or slush fund." Between 2018 and 2025, Lum allegedly used museum money to purchase personal items, including luxury guitars. Investigators say he then doctored invoices submitted to the museum to make it appear the money was spent on legitimate equipment.
The museum's governing board first discovered the financial inconsistencies in December 2025 and reported the findings to federal authorities. Lum now faces one felony count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
What we don't know:
While the investigation covers a seven-year span, officials have not specified the exact number of fraudulent transactions made. It is also unclear if any other individuals at the museum are under investigation for failing to catch the doctored documents earlier.
What's next:
Lum entered a "not guilty" plea during Tuesday's arraignment, but Herzberg called the move a legal technicality used to get a judge assigned to the case. The defendant is expected to officially change his plea to guilty within the next few weeks, followed by a sentencing hearing.
A judge granted Lum a $10,000 unsecured bond. Under the conditions of his release, he must surrender his passport and is not allowed to leave Georgia without court approval.
What they're saying:
"Here, the defendant willingly came into court and said, 'I'm ready to face the consequences,'" Herzberg said. "I can tell you that a case like this involving an embezzlement of this size is likely to result in significant prison time."
Herzberg emphasized the impact on the public, noting that Lum stole from individual donors and the government. "He was stealing money provided by governments to support an important civic institution in our community. And now he’ll pay the price."
By the numbers:
- $500,000+: The total amount Lum is accused of stealing from the museum.
- 7 years: The length of time the alleged theft went undetected.
- $10,000: The amount of the unsecured bond granted to Lum on Tuesday.
- 1: The number of felony counts Lum currently faces.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a federal court arraignment in the Northern District of Georgia and statements provided by U.S. Attorney Theodore Herzberg. Efforts to reach Lum's attorney for comment were unsuccessful. FOX 5's Rob DiRienzo gathered the details for this article.