Former Bismarck school director Brita Cowan pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft exceeding $50,000 and a fraudulent insurance act, altering her previous not-guilty stance entered earlier this year (KXNet). The 27-year-old admitted to financial misconduct at the Missouri Valley Montessori School, where an internal audit ultimately exposed tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized expenditures and payroll irregularities (KFYR-TV).
The legal proceedings against Cowan center on financial oversight failures uncovered after school leaders initiated an internal review of the institution’s accounts (KFYR-TV). Following the financial review, school leadership terminated Cowan from her position as director in December 2025 (KXNet). Law enforcement and investigators subsequently probed the school’s financial records, uncovering multiple categories of unauthorized fund diversions spanning debit card usage, check writing, and payroll adjustments.
Cowan Stole School Funds Through Unauthorized Checks and Payroll
According to the Bismarck Police Department and investigators, the internal audit at Missouri Valley Montessori School revealed that Cowan utilized a company debit card for unauthorized purchases (KXNet). Authorities stated that Cowan wrote unauthorized checks drawn from school accounts totaling more than $52,000 (KXNet). Further investigative findings indicated she issued herself more than $34,000 in unauthorized payroll overpayments (KFYR-TV).
In addition to direct fund extractions, prosecutors and investigators reported an insurance-related violation. Cowan added two family members to her health insurance plan, with investigators noting that one of those individuals was not qualified to receive benefits (KXNet). This action formed the basis for the fraudulent insurance act charge, which falls within the range of $1,000 to $10,000 (KXNet).
Cowan Changes Plea to Guilty Before Scheduled Trial
Cowan initially entered a not-guilty plea to the charges in April before changing her plea to guilty (KXNet). A jury trial that had been scheduled to begin on October 13 was subsequently canceled following the plea change (KFYR-TV).
While court records reflect the changed plea, the specifics of any potential plea agreement remain undisclosed to the public (KFYR-TV).
Upcoming Sentencing
With her guilty plea entered, Cowan awaits formal sentencing by the court (KXNet). The sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14 (KXNet), where she faces penalties for felony theft of more than $50,000 and the fraudulent insurance act (KFYR-TV).
