Former CPS CEO Expected In Federal Court

Barbara Byrd-Bennett on Connected to Chicago w/Bill Cameron, Photo by Bill Cameron
Barbara Byrd-Bennett on Connected to Chicago w/Bill Cameron, Photo by Bill Cameron

 

By Jennifer Keiper, WLS News

 

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett has been indicted on corruption charges and her lawyer says she will plead guilty. She is expected in Federal Court today.

Byrd-Bennett is accused of steering a more than $20 million no bid contract to her former employer, SUPES Academy, in exchange for potential bribes and kickbacks. She had been hand picked by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to lead CPS.

“When all of us are entrusted by the public to pursue the public good, when you violate that, you violate our trust and you have let us down,” Emanuel said after the indictment was announced last week.

Byrd-Bennett faces 15 counts of mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud.

Listen to Jennifer Keiper’s WLS report here:

 

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