Richard Allen Ellis, Jr., Bribery, Florida 2020

Bribery Scheme Rocks Broward County Schools

Miami, Florida - A shocking case of bribery in the Broward County School Board has come to an end. Richard Allen Ellis, Jr., a 50-year-old supervisor in the Physical Plant Operations Division, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for accepting bribes from a contractor.

According to court records, Ellis's job duties included processing work orders for repairs to the grounds of public schools in Broward County. He assigned projects to contractors, ensured they performed the work adequately, and authorized payment when the work was done. However, in May 2018, Ellis accepted four bribe payments totaling more than $6,000 from the representative of a contractor who had done repair work for the School Board.

In exchange for the bribes, Ellis agreed to keep the repair work flowing to the contractor and to fast-track payments of the contractor's invoices. This scheme was a breach of trust in the School Board's operating budget, which in 2018 included federal funds.

Ellis pled guilty to four counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds on July 13, 2020. The FBI Miami investigated the case, receiving substantial cooperation from the School Board of Broward County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia R. Wood prosecuted the case.

The case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in public institutions. Ellis's actions not only compromised the integrity of the School Board but also put the public's trust at risk. The sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz serves as a reminder that bribery will not be tolerated in any form.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cr-60369.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-broward-county-employee-sentenced-prison-term-accepting-bribes