ATLANTA — The former chief operating officer of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art was sentenced Nov. 2 to one year in federal prison for stealing more than $600,000 from the museum to pay for guitars, music lessons and other personal expenses, federal prosecutors said.
U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown also ordered Brady Lum, 60, of Atlanta, to serve one year of supervised release after prison. Lum pleaded guilty July 13 to a federal charge of theft involving programs that receive federal funds.
Before sentencing, Lum repaid the museum $607,688.18 in full restitution under his plea agreement. He also voluntarily paid about $500,000 to cover the museum’s investigative costs and legal fees, prosecutors said.
Earlier Report filed this year.
Prosecutors said Lum began stealing from the museum in September 2019, less than nine months after he took the job. He altered invoices, approved his own expenses and spread charges across different museum accounts to conceal purchases that included music equipment and woodworking tools.
In one instance, Lum submitted an altered invoice for nearly $9,150 that made the purchase look like equipment for the museum. The riginal invoice was for a guitar and accessories, prosecutors said.
The scheme was uncovered in November 2025. Lum resigned Dec. 9, 2025.