12 Detroit Principals Implicated in Kickback Scheme

The Feds have charged 12 current and former school principles in Detroit with bribery and other charges to the shock of many residents.

At the heart of the alleged scheme is businessman Norman Shy, 74, of Franklin, who is accused of paying $908,500 in kickbacks and bribes to at least 12 Detroit Public School principals who used him as a school supply vendor in exchange for money -- some for as little as $4,000, another for $324,000. He secretly did this for 13 years, scamming school after school to the tune of $2.7 million with the help of principals who benefited along the way, prosecutors allege. The news of the corruption case at a critical time as the state grapples with fixing the finances of the struggling Detroit district, the largest school system in Michigan. DPS has been under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager since 2009 and has accumulated an operating deficit of $515 million.

In the midst of so many issues facing the city of Detroit, a corruption case of this scope will have a crippling effect on an already problematic education system. The charges are the result of and audit, described here:

McQuade noted that the charges stem from a two-year-old audit of the Education Achievement Authority, a state-formed agency that was supposed to oversee and help Detroit's most troubled schools. That audit raised red flags, including one that led to the eventual indictment of former principal Kenyetta Wilbourn Snapp, who pleaded guilty to bribery two months ago and agreed to cooperate with the government in its prosecution against others. Snapp, who was hailed as a once-rising education star and turnaround specialist, admitted to the Free Press in December that she pocketed $58,050 in bribes from a vendor and spent it on herself while working for the embattled EAA. Snapp, who is set to be sentenced June 1, faces up to 46 months in prison for bribery. Two other people have also pleaded guilty in that case -- a contractor who acted as middleman and a vendor. McQuade would not say if Snapp's cooperation led to any of today's charges, only that the EAA investigation revealed more evidence of wrongdoing by Detroit school officials.

These charges are part of a federal reaction to the corruption detailed in the article, with officials vowing to make an example of those involved.
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a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Principals

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Detroit is like a 3rd world country! Remember the mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick who got in a ****load of trouble for all sorts of criminal activity a few years ago?


just like in Uganda when you try to ship an X-Ray machine or any type of expensive equipment for a hospital/shelter, the military/government hold it and ask for bribe money or else "it will take 6 months or longer before they release the equipment"

Only difference is this is DETROIT we're talking about. Jesus

a reply to: FamCore

I actually felt like I was kicking a wounded animal while it was down by sharing this. Detroit has been hit with so many scandals and problems, anything new is like a pig-pile. The length of time that these bribes spanned is incredible, and IMO hits harder in that it involves those tasked to oversee children's education. I have a feeling there are more charges to come...

Nothing to see here. Typical well run Democrat city.

Waiting for official comments from the White House and Department of "Education".



This is what we can expect as big government continues to expand and fail at the same time.

I know the Federal Reserve Board is studying the techniques.

This type of nonsense is pretty much par for the course in most major urban cities. Corruption, bribery, kickbacks, etc.

originally posted by: Boscowashisnamo
a reply to: FamCore

I actually felt like I was kicking a wounded animal while it was down by sharing this. Detroit has been hit with so many scandals and problems, anything new is like a pig-pile. The length of time that these bribes spanned is incredible, and IMO hits harder in that it involves those tasked to oversee children's education. I have a feeling there are more charges to come...

This is the same district that has only now started complaining about the horrible conditions inside their schools ... AFTER they were taken over post-bankruptcy proceedings. The decay they show in those buildings has been going on for longer than just those past years.

And this is a symptom of the type corruption you are now seeing uncovered. The money is busy being used to line the pockets of the higher ups instead of being actually spent for its intended purpose.

a reply to: FamCore

agreed, it`s worse than a 3rd world country, I have no sympathy for the people there, everyone with any sense has already left that #hole.The only people left in detroit are crooks,eternal optimist, and people too poor to leave.

a reply to: Tardacus

well I have sympathy for some of the "optimists" and all of the people who are too poor to leave...

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