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Former Detroit Public Schools Director of Grant Development Sentenced on Fraud Charges
A 72-year-old former director of grant development at the Detroit Public Schools has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in a $1.275 million federal program fraud scheme. Carolyn StarkeyDarden, of Detroit, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III.
According to court records, between 2005 and 2012, StarkeyDarden, as president and/or agent of companies she established to provide supplemental educational services to eligible students in Michigan, obtained at least $1,275,000 from DPS through a scheme in which she submitted fraudulent invoices for payment to DPS for tutorial services that were never rendered to DPS students.
The case was investigated by agents of the FBI and the Office of Inspector General for Detroit Public Schools. Assistant United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison prosecuted the case.
Joining Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Lemisch in the announcement were David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bernadette Kakooza, Inspector General of the Detroit Public Schools.
As part of her sentence, StarkeyDarden will also serve an additional 4 months in a community corrections center upon her release, as a condition of supervised release.
The FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force (DACTF) is a team of law enforcement agencies that worked together to bring this case to justice, including the FBI Detroit Field Office, the Detroit Police Department, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Transportation–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security–Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Education–Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
This case is a stark reminder of the importance of accountability in public institutions and the need for law enforcement to hold individuals accountable for their actions.
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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