2 Accused Of $150,000 School Kickback Scheme

CHAPPAQUA, NY — Two men are accused of a corrupt kickback scheme that defrauded the Chappaqua school district of $150,000. Earlier Wednesday, the men surrendered to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Jorge Barreiros, 58, and Ricardo Jimenez, 54, were placed under arrest by DA criminal investigators, and were arraigned in New Castle Town Court.

Barreiros is charged with Corrupting the Government in the First Degree, a class B felony, and Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree, a class D felony.

Jimenez is charged with Corrupting the Government in the First Degree, a class B felony, and Bribery in the Third Degree, a class D felony.

The felony complaint alleges the two men together “engaged in a scheme constituting a systematic ongoing course of conduct with intent to defraud” the Chappaqua Central School District (CCSD), and “thereby wrongfully obtained such property, actual services or other resources with a value in excess of $100,000,” Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced.

Prosecutors alleged that Jimenez, through his own company, RJ Summit Services, Inc., billed CCSD for work actually performed by Barreiros and other CCSD staff members directed by Barreiros. In turn, Barreiros approved Jimenez’s fraudulent invoices. Then, after CCSD paid the bill, Jimenez kicked a portion of the CCSD’s payment back to Barreiros.

The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Investigations Division Public Integrity Bureau launched an investigation over a year ago into this scheme after being contacted by school district officials.

Schools Superintendent Christine Ackerman told residents in a statement on the district website that officials were informed by Johnson Controls, a District contractor, that one of its former supervisors was allegedly involved in a fraudulent kick-back scheme with a former District maintenance employee, illegal activity that led to an overpayment of services in the amount of roughly $150,000.

The employee was immediately placed on leave, Ackerman said. Following a thorough investigation by the district, the employee resigned from his position in December 2017.

As a result of information discovered during that investigation, district officials called the Westchester District Attorney's Office which launched a criminal investigation with the District's full cooperation.

In addition to contacting the District Attorney's Office, the District contracted with an independent forensic auditor in October 2017 to examine District policies and procedures to ensure it is following the strictest guidelines to protect the District’s finances against criminal activity, she said. "The auditor deemed our District policies appropriate, and suggested additional safeguards which we have since implemented. Our insurance company was notified, and we have begun a process to recover the funds that were overpaid due to this alleged fraudulent activity. We will also seek restitution through the criminal proceedings against this former employee."

Ackerman said the matter had been kept confidential until today. "While there are still limitations on what I can share with you at this time, I am always available to address any additional questions you may have regarding this matter."

Assistant District Attorney Brian Fitzgerald, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, is prosecuting the case.