Former Springboro Community City School superintendent indicted
Updated: 1:21 PM EDT Aug 2, 2021
Former Springboro Community City School Superintendent David Schroer has been indicted on various theft and ethics-related offenses, prosecutors announced Monday.Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell announced that the 52-year-old Schroer was indicted on 15 counts, saying the alleged offenses occurred during his time as superintendent of the school district. He's accused of taking funds that were meant to help educate students within the district. "Today, the Warren County Prosecutor's Office issued an indictment of 15 counts on former Superintendent Dan Schroer," a statement from the school district reads. "Mr. Schroer is no longer employed by Springboro Schools, as the Board accepted his resignation on August 30, 2019, in order to avoid the cost of litigation. The District has and will continue to cooperate in full with David Fornshell, and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, as necessary and required in order to protect the financial interests of the district and its community members."An investigation began in the fall of 2019, when an independent public accounting firm for Springboro Community City Schools notified the Ohio Auditor of State of several inconsistencies related to Schroer's sick leave, vacation days and mileage reimbursements, Fornshell said. The state auditor then opened an investigation, finding that on 16 separate occasions, Schroer falsified school records for reimbursement for travel not taken for school purposes, officials said.Specifically, investigators obtained cell phone tower data, credit card and ATM records, and other evidence that demonstrated that Schroer falsified reimbursement logs and obtained $1,291.66 from the district for travel that either did not occur at all, or did not occur for school purposes, according to the prosecutor.During the course of its investigation, the state auditor’s office also discovered other financial irregularities involving Schroer which it ultimately referred to the Ohio Ethics Commission. Ohio Ethics Commission investigators determined that while superintendent of the district, Schroer solicited and received personal loans totaling $4,500 from three employees of the district who were Schroer’s subordinates and who Schroer was considering for recommendations for administrative positions with the district, Fornshell said.Schroer also solicited and received personal loans totaling $3,500 from the principals of Helping Others Prepare for Excellence (HOPE), Strategos Group and CF Educational Solutions, three vendors who, at the time of the loans, were doing and/or seeking to do business with the district, the prosecutor added. "In 2017, Strategos Group received $21,000.00 from the District for consulting services. During the 2018-19 school year, HOPE received $5,300.00 from the District for consulting and counseling services. From February 2018 through June 2019, CF Educational Solutions received $34,485.00 from the District 'for services rendered, and shortly thereafter, Schroer went to work directly for CF Educational Solutions as its Senior Vice President – Leadership," a news release from the prosecutor's office said. Fornshell added that investigators also determined that Schroer solicited and received $6,800 in cash from two men, who at the time of the loan, were members of the district’s board of education.As superintendent of the district, Schroer is required to file an annual financial disclosure form with the Ohio Ethics Commission and disclose, among other things, any loans in excess of $1,000 that he received during the reporting years. The purpose of the financial disclosure filing is to alert the public of any potential conflicts of interest that a public official may have that could affect the administration of their position. In his 2017 and 2018 financial disclosure filing, Schroer did not disclose any of the aforementioned loans/potential conflicts of interest.A Warren County grand jury indicted Schroer for five counts of tampering with records, one count of theft in office, two counts of filing a false disclosure statement and six counts of representation by a public employee or official.He is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 20.
Former Springboro Community City School Superintendent David Schroer has been indicted on various theft and ethics-related offenses, prosecutors announced Monday.
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell announced that the 52-year-old Schroer was indicted on 15 counts, saying the alleged offenses occurred during his time as superintendent of the school district.
He's accused of taking funds that were meant to help educate students within the district.
"Today, the Warren County Prosecutor's Office issued an indictment of 15 counts on former Superintendent Dan Schroer," a statement from the school district reads. "Mr. Schroer is no longer employed by Springboro Schools, as the Board accepted his resignation on August 30, 2019, in order to avoid the cost of litigation. The District has and will continue to cooperate in full with David Fornshell, and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, as necessary and required in order to protect the financial interests of the district and its community members."
An investigation began in the fall of 2019, when an independent public accounting firm for Springboro Community City Schools notified the Ohio Auditor of State of several inconsistencies related to Schroer's sick leave, vacation days and mileage reimbursements, Fornshell said.
The state auditor then opened an investigation, finding that on 16 separate occasions, Schroer falsified school records for reimbursement for travel not taken for school purposes, officials said.
Specifically, investigators obtained cell phone tower data, credit card and ATM records, and other evidence that demonstrated that Schroer falsified reimbursement logs and obtained $1,291.66 from the district for travel that either did not occur at all, or did not occur for school purposes, according to the prosecutor.
During the course of its investigation, the state auditor’s office also discovered other financial irregularities involving Schroer which it ultimately referred to the Ohio Ethics Commission.
Ohio Ethics Commission investigators determined that while superintendent of the district, Schroer solicited and received personal loans totaling $4,500 from three employees of the district who were Schroer’s subordinates and who Schroer was considering for recommendations for administrative positions with the district, Fornshell said.
Schroer also solicited and received personal loans totaling $3,500 from the principals of Helping Others Prepare for Excellence (HOPE), Strategos Group and CF Educational Solutions, three vendors who, at the time of the loans, were doing and/or seeking to do business with the district, the prosecutor added.
"In 2017, Strategos Group received $21,000.00 from the District for consulting services. During the 2018-19 school year, HOPE received $5,300.00 from the District for consulting and counseling services. From February 2018 through June 2019, CF Educational Solutions received $34,485.00 from the District 'for services rendered, and shortly thereafter, Schroer went to work directly for CF Educational Solutions as its Senior Vice President – Leadership," a news release from the prosecutor's office said.
Fornshell added that investigators also determined that Schroer solicited and received $6,800 in cash from two men, who at the time of the loan, were members of the district’s board of education.
As superintendent of the district, Schroer is required to file an annual financial disclosure form with the Ohio Ethics Commission and disclose, among other things, any loans in excess of $1,000 that he received during the reporting years. The purpose of the financial disclosure filing is to alert the public of any potential conflicts of interest that a public official may have that could affect the administration of their position. In his 2017 and 2018 financial disclosure filing, Schroer did not disclose any of the aforementioned loans/potential conflicts of interest.
A Warren County grand jury indicted Schroer for five counts of tampering with records, one count of theft in office, two counts of filing a false disclosure statement and six counts of representation by a public employee or official.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 20.
Source link
