DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida teacher is in trouble after, police said, he ordered thousands of dollars’ worth of food for school functions and didn’t pay the bill.
Dario Camara, an English teacher and director of speech and debate club at Western High School in Davie, was arrested Friday morning.
7News cameras captured Camara being taken into the Broward County Jail.
According to police, Camara placed a food order of over $16,000 from Exquisite Catering by Robert in North Miami but failed to pay for any of the invoices.
Peter Sitaras, the company’s lawyer said the first of three orders occurred in 2022.
“There was a gentleman named Dario Camara, and he’s a debate teacher at Western High. He said in October of 2022, ‘Oh, we need catering services for this debate tournament,'” said Sitaras.
In addition to facing criminal charges, Camara is being sued by the company. According to the lawsuit filed by the company, Camara contracted the company to cater several debate events.
On an invoice dated Oct. 22, the company provided 510 boxed lunches to the school, totaling $5,695.97.
Sitaras said the company never got paid for that.
“Then, in April, he had two more catering events, so same deal. He said, you know, ‘Another event, please cater it, we’ll pay you, just bill it to Florida Forensic League,'” said Sitaras.
Camara is the vice president of operations for the Florida Forensic League.
He asked for catering for two more events in April.
A second invoice, dated in April 2023, shows an order of baked ziti meatballs and garlic rolls, which totaled $5,250.
The next day, Camara placed another order of deli sandwiches, which also totaled $5,250.
Sitaras said the company never got paid for any of these events despite all the food being delivered to Western High School for the events.
“Those three catering events, the bill adds up to around $16,000. We had asked for payment; payment hasn’t been made,” said Sitaras.
According to emails from the lawsuit, Camara told a company representative in May 2023 that he was “tracking this payment as we think we mailed it or handed it to someone back in the fall. Yikes.”
A few months later, Camara sent another email saying, “Let me make some phone calls this morning and get back to you.”
The lawyer said the company lawsuit came after many chances were given to receive payment.
“We made demand after demand, and then finally we filed suit. It’s a simple breach of contract case. He’s allegedly been arrested,” said Sitaras.
The catering company declined to comment for the story, citing the pending lawsuit.
But questions remain as to whether the teacher was authorized to order the food and who gave him authorization. The assistant principal at the school was allegedly involved.
Camara faces multiple charges, including grand theft and scheming to defraud. He remains at the Broward County Jail on a $10,500 bond.
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