Ex-COO of High Museum of Art pleads guilty to embezzling over $600,000

Brady Lum, former chief operating officer of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $600,000 from the institution over nearly seven years. The plea was entered in a U.S. federal court, concluding an investigation triggered by financial irregularities detected by the Woodruff Arts Center, which manages the museum. Lum resigned in December of the previous year. According to federal prosecutors, Lum used museum funds for personal expenses including high-end guitars, musical accessories, and woodworking equipment. He exploited his administrative authority to approve fraudulent reimbursement requests and employed tactics to conceal transactions, obtaining over 700 reimbursements—most under $1,000—to avoid detection. One highlighted incident involved a 2024 reimbursement request for $9,147.87 in guitar accessories, supported by an altered invoice. The case is classified as theft from a program receiving federal funds, carrying a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. During Lum's tenure, the High Museum received an $80,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for research on museum visits' impacts, contributing to federal jurisdiction. As part of a plea agreement, Lum has committed to full restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for November 2. The Woodruff Arts Center has not commented on the impact on museum operations, and Lum's defense has not made a public statement.