Five Charged in Houston School District Fraud Scheme Involving $1 Million.
Five individuals linked to the Houston Independent School District (HISD) face serious charges for orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently certified over 200 teachers, generating approximately $1 million in illicit profits.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced the charges, which include two counts of organized criminal activity and multiple felony charges that could lead to sentences ranging from two years to life in prison.
How the Scheme Worked
The fraudulent operation involved a setup where an impersonator took certification exams under the real applicants' names, aided by a dishonest testing proctor. The scheme reportedly dates back to May 2020 and has raised significant concerns about the integrity of teacher certification in Texas public schools.
HISD employees involved in the scheme
- Vincent Grayson, 57: Identified as the "kingpin" of the operation, Grayson, the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School, allegedly earned over $1 million from the scheme.
- Tywana Gilford Mason, 51: Former director and proctor at the Houston Training and Education Center, Mason allegedly helped orchestrate the cheating.
- Nicholas Newton, 35: Assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, accused of being the proxy test-taker.
- Darian Nikole Wilhite, 22: A proctor at TACTIX, who is accused of accepting bribes to facilitate the cheating.
- LaShonda Roberts, 39: Assistant principal at Yates High School, accused of recruiting nearly 100 teachers into the scheme.
District Response and Investigation
HISD has expressed its commitment to cooperating fully with law enforcement and the Texas Education Agency. In light of the investigation, the district has relieved the implicated employees of their duties and will take immediate action to terminate any teachers found to have cheated on certification exams.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg highlighted the seriousness of the situation, noting that some of the fraudulently certified teachers had access to vulnerable students. Two teachers identified in the scheme had criminal charges related to child endangerment and solicitation, raising alarm about the potential risks posed to children.
The investigation was triggered by a tip from a former coach aiming to become a police officer, underscoring the importance of accountability within educational institutions. Kim Ogg stated: "The irony is that those we trust to educate our children were undermining that trust, but it took a good Samaritan to bring this to light."
Financial Breakdown of the Scheme
Candidates allegedly paid Grayson around $2,500 to be certified, with a portion of that money funneled to Mason to facilitate the cheating. Over the course of the scheme, Newton is believed to have fraudulently taken more than 430 certification tests.
The financial gains from the fraudulent activities were substantial:
- Grayson: Approximately $1.09 million
- Mason: At least $125,000
- Newton: Over $188,000
- Wilhite: Charged $250 per sign-in for candidates.
Mike Levine, a felony chief in the Harris County District Attorney Office’s Public Corruption Division said: "Teachers and coaches who help influence children's behavior, we count on them for their moral compass. To think that this many people without what I would consider a proper moral compass, are trying to educate and influence children all across the state, is troubling."
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