Theodore Thomas Pride, III, Federal Program Fraud, Michigan 2023

A former program director of a supplemental educational service provider to Detroit Public Schools has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for federal program fraud, according to a recent sentencing announcement.

Theodore Thomas Pride, III, 38 of Detroit, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to federal program fraud, Acting United States Attorney Daniel Lemisch announced on May 24, 2024.

Pride obtained at least $684,644 from Detroit Public Schools by submitting fraudulent invoices for tutorial services that DPS students never received. Pride’s scheme ran from 2011-2012, while he served as the resident agent and program director of Priority: My Education, a company approved by the State of Michigan to provide supplemental educational services to eligible students.

This case was investigated by agents of the FBI and the Office of Inspector General for the Detroit Public Schools. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

The FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force (DACTF) is led by the FBI Detroit Field Office, and consists of Special Agents and law enforcement officers with the FBI Detroit; 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.

The exact criminal charges against Pride were not specified in the release, but he pleaded guilty to federal program fraud.

The sentence of 37 months in federal prison is a significant blow to Pride, who has been held accountable for his actions as the former program director of Priority: My Education.

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