The investigation into the alleged actions of former Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton began in July 2023, school board leadership shared in an updated message to families.
Horton was indicted on 17 counts of embezzlement, wire fraud and tax fraud on Wednesday. Thirteen of the counts included three men described as Horton’s friends, all of whom are also listed as defendants. The indictment alleges that Horton awarded the three men fraudulent contracts on the district’s behalf, and the men sent over $90,000 in kickbacks to the former superintendent.
“If true, it is a betrayal of our District and community,” Board President Sergio Hernandez and Vice President Nichole Pinkard wrote in the statement.
Horton served as District 65’s superintendent from June 18, 2020 to June 30, 2023. The U.S. Department of Education first subpoenaed the district shortly after on July 12, 2023, Hernandez and Pinkard said in the statement.
Since then, the board and administration have participated in interviews and provided access to records requested by the DOE.
“No current or former Board members, District administrators, or other employees are criminally implicated in this matter or were ever subjects of the investigation,” Hernandez and Pinkard wrote. “Nor did any District employees or Board members have any knowledge of Dr. Horton’s alleged kickback scheme.”
Along with the four defendants, the indictment mentions two unnamed individuals who were District 65 employees during Horton’s tenure. They received invoices that falsely stated what services the companies provided and contract proposals that covered up Horton’s involvement. The indictment does not suggest that the individuals knew about the alleged scheme.
Two counts allege Horton used his district procurement card to pay for personal items.
“These allegations go against everything we stand for as a community and the values and beliefs we strive to uphold,” Hernandez and Pinkard wrote. “We believe we have seen a significant increase in transparency, accountability, and the development of needed systems, structures, and processes under our current leadership team.”
The district raised its own concerns about Horton’s district card usage, which were then added to the charges filed against Horton by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the statement said. Horton was also indicted on two counts of tax evasion for allegedly failing to report his earnings from his district card usage or the contracts.
Under the prior school board, the district also reviewed its financial processes with an independent financial advisor and modified policies accordingly. The district shared these updated processes at a September 2024 Committee of the Whole, which included decreasing the number of procurement cards and requiring monthly reports for the card. Contracts must also go through a more in-depth review before being approved.
Hernandez and Pinkard added that the district will share more information when it becomes available and legal for them to do so.
“The U.S. Attorney has communicated to the District and provides in its indictment that it intends to seek full monetary restitution on behalf of the District as part of the criminal penalties against the defendants,” the statement read. “If restitution through the criminal judicial process proves insufficient, the District will consider pursuing civil claims as appropriate and cost effective.”
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— Former D65 Superintendent Devon Horton indicted on 17 counts of embezzlement, fraud
— ‘One shot to get this right’: D65 board mulls over school closure scenarios
— District 65 community says goodbye to Devon Horton, board discusses superintendent search
