Former High Museum of Art executive gets a year in federal prison
Brady Lum will serve one year of supervised release after leaving prison.
Law and Crime
The former chief operating officer of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison for stealing from the museum, court documents show.
Brady Lum must pay the museum $607,688.18 in restitution under the judgment signed by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown. Lum has already paid the full amount, and the court clerk will distribute it to the museum.
Brown waived a fine and the cost of Lum's imprisonment and ordered a $100 special assessment. Lum will serve one year of supervised release after leaving prison.
Brown recommended the federal Bureau of Prisons send Lum to its Maxwell facility. Lum remains free on bond and will surrender at the designated prison once notified by the U.S. Marshal.
Lum's attorney, Donald Samuel, submitted a sentencing memorandum October 26 with character letters attached. Federal prosecutor Nicholas N. Joy submitted the government's memorandum the next day. A presentence investigation report was filed under seal October 23.
Paid subscribers can read the sentencing judgment.
Court Documents: Ex- High Museum of Art executive sentenced
The court record featured on this page is the sentencing judgment.
Adam Schrader
Lum pleaded guilty July 13 under a plea agreement to the only count against him, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. The judgment lists November 29, 2024, as the date the offense ended.
Lum pleaded not guilty at his April 14 arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly, Urgent Matter previously reported. He waived indictment by a grand jury that day and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
The same day, the two sides asked the court to schedule a hearing for Lum to change his plea, an April 16 order shows.
Lum became the museum's chief operating officer in 2019. He resigned in December 2025 after an internal investigation.
“While entrusted to run the High Museum, Lum allegedly used the museum’s money as his personal slush fund and thereby betrayed one of Atlanta’s civic crown jewels,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement when Lum was charged.
Prosecutors alleged that Lum, who controlled the museum's finances, used its money for luxury guitars and other music equipment, woodworking equipment and personal music lessons.
They cited a November 2024 invoice for $9,147.87 that Lum submitted through the museum's online expense system. The original invoice was for a guitar and accessories, prosecutors said, and it was altered to make the purchase look like a museum expense.
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