Albert Morrison, Bribery and Tax Evasion, Michigan 2023

Former School Board President of Madison District Public Schools Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Tax Evasion in Michigan

DETROIT – Albert Morrison, 62, the former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education, pleaded guilty today to taking bribes from a local school contractor in a pay-to-play scheme and to tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

In a shocking turn of events, Morrison admitted to accepting over $561,667 in bribes from John David, owner of Emergency Restoration, between 2014 and 2018. David’s companies received approximately $3,167,275 from the Madison District during the bribery conspiracy. Morrison spent the money on personal luxuries, including vacations in Florida and a boat slip.

Morrison’s scheme was uncovered when David was questioned by investigators. David admitted to ‘paying to play’ in the school district and revealed the extent of his bribes to Morrison. Morrison, in turn, deposited the checks from David into his own bank account and failed to declare the payments as income to the IRS.

‘This pay-to-play scheme damaged the Madison District Public Schools and undermined the community’s trust in the education system,’ said U.S. Attorney Ison. ‘This prosecution demonstrates we will not allow the greed of corrupt school officials to harm the interests of our children.’

James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, praised the investigation, stating, ‘Mr. Morrison admitted to accepting bribes while he was president of the Madison District Public School Board. His actions intentionally betrayed the public’s trust that he would act in the best interest of the school district and children.’

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI, IRS, and the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. Morrison’s guilty plea marks a significant victory for the community, who can now rest assured that justice has been served. Morrison faces sentencing in the coming months and could face up to 20 years in prison for his crimes.

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