By Nick Gale, WLS News
(CHICAGO) U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon revealed Thursday afternoon that former head of Chicago Public Schools, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, plans to plead guilty to charges that she steered no-bid CPS contracts to her former employer.
Fardon says Byrd-Bennett has been cooperating with federal investigators.
Byrd-Bennett was indicted Thursday morning on allegations that she pocketed bribes and accepted gifts in exchange for steering a $20.5 million contract to SUPES Academy, an education consulting firm. She was also promised a job with SUPES when she eventually decided to leave CPS.
Read the Byrd-Bennett news release on indictment.
Read the Byrd-Bennett indictment here.
A grand jury subpoena in April led to her resignation as CEO of CPS in May. The subpoena sought documents relating to the SUPES contract.
The co-owners of SUPES also have been charged.
@ 2015 WLS News
