Nationwide — Earl Joe Nelson and Mario D. Willis, two African American superintendents whose college districts are each about an hour from Jackson, Mississippi, have been indicted for allegedly stealing public college funds, arranging faux consulting funds, and giving unlawful kickbacks in a scheme that lasted over a 12 months.
Federal prosecutors charged Nelson and Willis with conspiracy to commit embezzlement, theft, and bribery. From November 2021 to June 2023, each of them allegedly paid one another tens of 1000’s of {dollars} utilizing college district funds for consulting companies that had been by no means supplied, in response to WLBT.
On the time, Nelson was superintendent of Clarksdale Municipal College District. He now leads Leake County College District. Willis is the present superintendent of Hollandale College District. Prosecutors say each males misused the funds from the U.S. Division of Training meant to assist the varsity districts’ packages and college students.
One other individual, Moneka M. Smith-Taylor, a marketing consultant and instructor primarily based in St. Louis, was additionally indicted. She allegedly obtained greater than $250,000 from Willis for work she didn’t carry out, then returned a part of that cash to him as a kickback.
The Mississippi Division of Training declined to remark and referred inquiries to native college boards, which deal with staffing choices. As of now, each Nelson and Willis stay listed as superintendents within the state’s on-line listing. It’s unclear whether or not they’re nonetheless actively working.
