A Los Angeles Unified School District staffer is facing felony charges over a $22 million kickback scheme in the latest black eye for the scandal-scarred district. Former LAUSD technical project manager Hong “Grace” Peng is charged with two felony counts for money laundering and for having a financial interest in an official contract, over her alleged role in the scam. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman says Peng conspired with a Texas technology contractor named Gautham Sampath in a pay-to-play scheme where Peng fed more than $22 million in contracts to a company owned by Sampath from 2018-2022.