OKLAHOMA CITY — Preliminary hearings are underway for Epic Charter Schools’ founders accused of racketeering, embezzlement, and other charges.
The school’s former Chief Financial Officer is also facing charges.
If the hearings seem like a long time coming — they certainly are.
David Chaney and Ben Harris founded Epic Charter Schools in 2011.
It would eventually grow to become the state’s largest school district, but it was only roughly three years into operation that troubles began.
- Previous coverage >>> Epic Charter Schools announces layoffs, citing decline in enrollment
Then-Governor Mary Fallin requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation look into allegations of fraud. However, the probe remained in the investigation stage for a decade.
In the meantime, questions over their enrollment practices stayed in the headlines. Teachers filed wrongful termination lawsuits for allegedly refusing to manipulate numbers.
One lawmaker trying to sound the alarm over Epic’s alleged illegal practices got sued by the school district for defamation. The school district lost and ultimately paid former Senator Ron Sharp half a million dollars.
In 2019, amid looming state and federal investigations, Governor Kevin Stitt requested an investigative audit that prompted the school district to sever ties with Chaney and Harris.
In 2020, State Auditor Cindy Byrd came out with a scathing report.
“Harris, Chaney and Brock’s actions is the largest abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of this state,” Byrd said at the time. “Due to incomplete, falsified or inaccurate reports, the total misappropriated amounts presented in this report could be much higher than what’s been reported.”
Ultimately, Byrd said the school founders refused to disclose how $145 million of taxpayer money was spent over six years.
- Previous coverage >>> Epic Charter Schools to return $9.1 million to state
In 2022, charges were brought against Chaney, Harris, and CFO Josh Brock. Investigators said the school enrolled ghost students, falsified invoices, and used taxpayer money for everything from personal expenses to political contributions.
Watch our initial coverage after state findings were released:
More charges were added in 2023.
The trio faces 15 charges, including money laundering, embezzlement, and conspiracy to defraud the state.
On his second day of office, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his office would take over from Oklahoma County to prosecute the case.
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