Former High Museum of Art COO Brady Lum resigns amid investigation into stolen funds. (Credit: High Museum of Art)
ATLANTA - The former chief operating officer of the High Museum of Art has pleaded guilty in Atlanta after federal prosecutors accused him of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the cultural institution.
What we know:
Brady Lum pleaded guilty to theft involving programs receiving federal funds on Monday.
Investigators determined Lum doctored invoices and approved transactions for personal purchases using the High Museum’s corporate credit card reimbursement process.
He worked as the museum’s chief operating officer from Jan. 2, 2019, until his resignation on Dec. 9, 2025, handling all operational and financial activities.
During his employment, prosecutors state Lum repeatedly purchased non-business items and services for himself.
His personal purchases included luxury guitars, musical equipment, music lessons and woodworking equipment. Lum hid these transactions by submitting altered invoices, exercising his expense approval authority and using accounting adjustments to spread expenses across different cost centers.
As an example, prosecutors say Lum submitted an altered invoice on Nov. 29, 2024, through the museum's online platform.
The paperwork showed a $9,147.87 equipment purchase meant for the museum, but the original invoice was actually for a high-end guitar and accessories he kept for himself. Lum received over 700 reimbursements during the scheme, most under $1,000, and stole over $600,000 in total.
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What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the exact prison sentence Lum could face at his upcoming hearing. Authorities have also not disclosed how the museum originally uncovered the suspicious financial transactions or if any internal oversight procedures have been altered since his resignation.
What's next:
The 59-year-old Lum pleaded guilty last Monday before U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.
As part of his plea agreement, Lum must pay full restitution to the High Museum.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and prior FOX 5 reporting.