A former Educational Achievement Authority (EAA) principal and an after-school tutoring vendor have been indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges.
The five-count indictment charges that from approximately August 2012 through November 2014, Kenyetta Wilbourn Snapp, the former principal of the EAA's Denby High School and then Mumford High School in Detroit, conspired to commit bribery and money laundering. Also charged in the indictment were Glynis Thornton, whose company, Making a Difference Everyday (“M.A.D.E.”), provided after-school tutoring services to Denby and Mumford, and Paulette Horton, who was an independent contractor working for M.A.D.E.
According to the indictment, Snapp selected Thornton’s M.A.D.E. as the after-school tutoring vendor for Denby and Mumford. In exchange, Thornton paid Snapp monetary kickbacks as a reward for Snapp selecting and retaining M.A.D.E. as the after-school tutoring vendor. Thornton disguised payments to Snapp by causing checks to be issued payable to Horton’s company, rather than paying Snapp directly. Horton would then deposit and withdraw the money and give it to Snapp.
“It is incredibly disheartening when school officials and vendors steal money that was intended to educate students, as these charges allege," said U.S. Attorney Barabara McQuade. "We appreciate the full cooperation of the EAA in this matter.”
EAA Chancellor Veronica Conforme released this statement on the case:
"After months of collaborating with the FBI, we are satisfied that those responsible are finally being held accountable. I commend the EAA staff and outside reviewers who brought these issues to light and reported them to the authorities. While this is a learning moment for the EAA, we cannot let it distract us from our greater mission of ensuring all children succeed.”