Two former vendors of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges today and admitted their roles in a kickback scheme orchestrated by the District’s former Superintendent. Antonio Ross and Alfonzo Lewis admitted in plea agreements that they paid kickbacks to District 65’s then-Superintendent, Devon Horton, in exchange for Horton’s efforts to steer District 65 contracts to consulting companies that Antonio Ross and Lewis owned.  Antonio Ross obtained approximately $119,500 from District 65 and paid Horton at least $41,900 in cash from the proceeds of the contracts with his company.  Lewis obtained approximately $24,000 from District 65 and paid Horton at least $6,000 in cash kickbacks from the proceeds of a contract with his company.  Antonio Ross and Lewis admitted that their companies did not perform some of the services for which they invoiced the District.

Antonio Ross, 49, of Chicago, and Lewis, 49, of Chicago, each pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin scheduled sentencing for Lewis on Jan. 25, 2027, and for Antonio Ross on March 10, 2027. The guilty pleas were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Scott Wingle, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Central Regional Office; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Marta Grijalva, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. 

Substantial assistance was provided by Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily C.R. Vermylen, Elie Zenner, and Morris Pasqual. Horton, 49, of Stone Mountain, Ga., pleaded guilty earlier this month to wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax charges.  Horton admitted receiving the kickbacks from Antonio Ross and Lewis, as well as an additional $30,000 in kickbacks from a third school vendor, SAMUEL ROSS, whose company obtained $124,500 from District 65 purportedly to provide loss prevention services.  Judge Durkin scheduled Horton’s sentencing for Jan. 5, 2027. Samuel Ross, 47, of Berwyn, Ill., pleaded guilty last month to a wire fraud charge.  Judge Durkin has not yet scheduled Samuel Ross’s sentencing.