Hassan El Saddique Sentenced

Hassan El Saddique, 36, of Atlanta, GA, has been sentenced to one year supervised release for stealing funds intended for Buffalo schools. El Saddique was convicted of theft of money in control and possession of a bank, and was ordered to pay $15,120.00 in restitution.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, El Saddique made it appear that he had entered into a contract for consultant services with the Buffalo Board of Education between June 2009 and October 2010. However, the alleged contract falsely stated that El Saddique would perform services at the Universal School, which he never did.

Although El Saddique did assist with the Title I Program at Bishop Timon High School at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, these services were performed voluntarily and without pay. Nevertheless, between October 2009 and October 2010, El Saddique submitted 19 fraudulent invoices to the Buffalo Board of Education for payment for services that were never performed or done voluntarily at the Universal School and Bishop Timon High School.

El Saddique received 18 checks totaling $15,120 and retained a portion of those funds. The investigation revealed that El Saddique’s mother, Debbie Buckley, played a significant role in facilitating the fraud. Buckley, who was the Supervisor of Title I, Office of Federal and State Programs for the Buffalo School District, changed the approval process for contractor payments, eliminating the need for a signature from an official at the non-public school.

This change allowed Buckley to sign the fraudulent invoices submitted by her son, authorizing the payment of the invoices. Buckley was convicted of theft of government funds on June 1, 2016, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2016. The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.

The sentencing of Hassan El Saddique marks the culmination of a thorough investigation into the theft of funds intended for Buffalo schools. The case highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in the management of public funds, particularly in the education sector. As the investigation and sentencing of Debbie Buckley are still ongoing, it remains to be seen what further consequences will arise from this case.

U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced the sentencing, stating that the case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combating fraud and corruption in all its forms. The sentence imposed on El Saddique serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit public funds for personal gain, and underscores the importance of protecting the integrity of public institutions.