There are big problems in Pennsylvania with one of the operators of charter schools.
LehighValleyBusiness:
The founder and superintendent of one of Pennsylvania's most successful cyber charter schools is facing federal charges of fraud for scheming taxpayer funds out of the school, according to a 41-page grand jury indictment.
The indictment claims Nicholas Trombetta, 58, of East Liverpool, Ohio, the founder of PA Cyber Charter School, and Mark Prence, 58, of Koppel, his accountant, shifted more than $8 million in Trombetta's income between 2006 and 2012 to others to hide his true income....
....Trombetta faces three counts of mail fraud, three counts of theft or bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, one count of tax conspiracy and five counts of filing a false tax return....
Here is more from TribLive:
In the end, it was nothing more than an old-fashioned skimming operation. At least that's what federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh allege in an 11-count indictment for mail fraud, filing false tax returns and conspiracy against Nick Trombetta.....
.....The indictment is a triple shame. First,
there's the alleged violation of public trust. Then there's the fact
that Trombetta was considered something of a savior for Midland, the
beleaguered Beaver County community that the charter school helped
revive. And then there's the taint left on the school, not implicated in
the charged funny dealings and considered to be a great success.
But the indictments also have renewed
the debate over the amount of taxpayer dollars given to cyber charter
schools — whether they should receive the same per pupil amount as their
bricks-and-mortar counterparts, considering the latter's claimed higher
overhead....
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette has even more details on the indictment and the scheme.
Pennsylvania Gov. Corbett should answer to the people of Pennsylvania about how this scheme robbed school children of their money for education.
