Former Chicago Public Schools chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett is set to make her first court appearance on Tuesday on charges that she attempted to steer more than $20 million in no-bid contracts to her former employers in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks.
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Byrd-Bennett, who was criminally charged Thursday for allegedly using her position at CPS to award lucrative no-bid contracts to her former employer in exchange for bribes and kickbacks, is scheduled to appear before Judge Edmond E. Chang at 10 a.m.at the Dirksen Federal Building, according to court documents.
She’s been accused of funneling $2.3 million of no-bid contracts to two education companies that specialize in training principals and school administrators.
Byrd-Bennett, who was indicted on Thursday, has already indicated through her attorney that she is cooperating with investigators and plans to plead guilty.
The indictment claims that Supes and Synesi sent the bribe money to bank accounts set up in the name of Byrd-Bennett’s relatives while she was working for CPS. Supes and Synesi also allegedly gave Byrd-Bennett meals, an airplane ticket and tickets for sporting events, according to the indictment.
Byrd-Bennett resigned earlier this year as leader of the nation’s third-largest school district. After they re-hired her as a consultant, they disguised the funds as a signing bonus, the government says. Each count of mail and wire fraud is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, mandatory restitution and a maximum fine of $250,000, U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon said.
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Both suburban Chicago men are charged with bribery and conspiracy to defraud, along with mail and wire fraud.
