The Karen Christiansen story just keeps getting more unbelievable.

The former facilities director for the Beverly Hills Unified School District was ordered this week to stand trial on two counts of misappropriation of funds and four felony counts of conflict of interest. Former BHUSD Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard, who now serves in that same role in the Newport Beach Unified School District in Orange County, also was ordered to stand trial on two counts of misappropriation of public funds.

The Orange County Register earlier this month published emails between Hubbard and Christiansen that suggested an intimate relationship. Now the newspaper has obtained flirtatious e-mails between Christiansen and a private attorney who worked for BHUSD. David Huff of Orbach, Huff & Suarez later renegotiated a new contract between Christiansen and the BHUSD, The Register reported.

Christiansen also sent photos of herself in a revealing bikini to Huff. According to The Register, the photos were cited this week by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathryn Solorzano as evidence of “backroom dealing” as she ordered Christiansen to stand trial. The photos—published in the paper—show Christiansen in a bikini wearing a belly chain.

After Christiansen sent the photos on Aug. 17, 2006, Huff responded, “In my experience, women who wear belly bracelets have always been misunderstood.”

Christiansen replied: “Not in this case!!! Perfectly understood!!!”

This e-mail exchange came at the same time that Christiansen and Hubbard were exchanging inappropriate messages. In those correspondences, sent using school e-mail accounts, Hubbard addressed Christiansen as “sweetheart” and “hot stuff,” and they often told each other “I love you.”

Huff worked for the BHUSD until 2008, when the board of education learned of his “involvement with Karen,” Vice President Brian Goldberg told Patch. “There was not a formal vote, just direction from the board to staff to stop using his firm.”

The e-mails between Christiansen and the private attorney hired by the district may bolster the case of those on the school board who advocate hiring an in-house counsel rather than the current practice of using outside attorneys. The board has spent much time in recent months discussing the prospect of hiring an in-house counsel and has appointed a private committee of attorneys to advise them in making the decision.

In an ironic twist, Christiansen was released this week from jail with help from another attorney who worked for the BHUSD. Christiansen had been held on $2 million bail, but it was lowered to $200,000.

Attorney Howard Fulfrost of Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost put up his Los Angeles house as collateral for the bond, The Register reported. Fagen, Friedman and Fulfrost still does some legal work for the BHUSD.

As previously reported by Patch, the charges against Christiansen are wide ranging. Christiansen was hired as BHUSD facilities director in 2004 at an annual salary of $113,000, but allegedly secretly negotiated an independent contractor agreement while performing the same duties as a staffer. In addition to her alleged secret independent contractor status, she is accused of negotiating deals between an energy firm and BHUSD while simultaneously negotiating contracts between the firm and her consulting company, Strategic Concepts.

Hubbard, meanwhile, is accused of granting two $10,000 stipends and a car allowance increase for Christiansen in early 2006 without board consent.

Watch for more bombshells about Christiansen and Hubbard when their scheduled trial begins Feb. 7.