Columbus – Three financial audits released today by Auditor of State Dave Yost detail why five administrators of the Lion of Judah Academy (Cuyahoga County) were indicted on charges related to nearly $1.3 million in findings for recovery.

“These old school crooks used our children to cover their tracks,” Auditor Yost said. “I’m not surprised that Carl Shye was involved with these offenders.” 

The audits covered 2007-2010 and identified a total of $1,292,858 in findings for recovery. Included in the findings were practices known as “kickbacks” where administrators, including Romey Coles, Superintendent of the now closed Lion of Judah Academy, would receive monies from payments made to contracted companies.

One instance of “kickbacks” occurred when the academy made payments to Eclypse International, LLC, totaling $112,000. With the $112,000, Eclypse International made “kickback” payments to academy administrators totaling $43,500.

The audits identified a total of $1,170,116 in findings related to unlawful interests in public contracts. The audit also identified $89,495 in unsupported expenditures, $19,762 in unallowable expenditures and $13,485 in unsupported bank withdrawals.

Coles and four other administrators were indicted in February 2013 on multiple charges.

Carl Shye served as the academy’s treasurer during the 2008-09 audit. In 2012, Shye was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay more than $472,000 in restitution for a federal embezzlement charge related to his employment as treasurer for various community schools in Ohio.

Full copies of these audits may be accessed online: 2007, 2008-09, 2010.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,800 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111