SUPES Academy Owner Indicted With Former Chicago Public Schools CEO

The owners of Wilmette-based SUPES Academy and Evanston-based Synesi Associates, LLC were named in the indictment that charged former Chicago Public Schools CEO Dr. Barbara Byrd-Bennett with several counts of mail fraud and wire fraud.

The 23-count indictment alleges Byrd-Bennett took kickbacks while steering the two companies no-bid contracts, including at least one with SUPES worth $20.5 million.

The indictment charges both Gary Solomon (former Niles Township High School dean) of SUPES and Thomas Vranas of Synesi with bribery and conspiracy to defraud, along with mail and wire fraud.

Byrd-Bennett had been an employee of SUPES prior to her hiring at CPS. A Catalyst investigation revealed she remained as a consultant for SUPES even after receiving pay from CPS. The $20.5 million contract for principal training was passed by the school board in June 2013 despite a number of non-profits being capable of performing the services SUPES was hired for at a much lesser cost, the Sun-Times reports.

According to NBC-5-Chicago: The indictment alleges the companies agreed to conceal the kickback money by funneling it into accounts set up in the names of two of Byrd-Bennett’s relatives. An agreement called for the funds to be paid to Byrd-Bennett in the form of a “signing bonus” after her employment with CPS ended and the companies re-hired her as a consultant.”

The investigation into Byrd-Bennett’s $20 million contract with SUPES also revealed it had been the fourth awarded to the company since October of 2012. The three other contracts include two for $2 million each and a third for $225,000 for consulting services, according to the Sun-Times.