FEDS INVESTIGATING LINCOLN- WAY FINANCES
At least one Lincoln- Way School District 210 representative was commanded to testify last week before a federal grand jury on information regarding former Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie, among other documents.
A copy of the May 4 subpoena from the U. S. District Court in Chicago was sent to the media Monday afternoon by Taryn Atwell, the school district’s community relations director. She wrote that Freedom of Information Act requests for the subpoena were recently submitted.
“District officials and board members have been advised not to comment on any items pertaining to this investigation,” she stated in an email.
The subpoena sent to Lincoln-Way at the request of Assistant U. S. Attorney Sunil Harjani was directed to the district’s custodian of records for a May 18 appearance.
They were commanded to bring any and all documents and records from Jan. 1, 2000, to the present regarding Wyllie.
Some of that information included his salary, compensation, contracts, loans, bonuses, travel requests, personnel files, reimbursement records, credit cards and emergency funds.
Also requested was information on board policies and procedures; board meeting memorandums, minutes, details and recordings; and all records related to misappropriation of federal, state and local funds to include bond funds, restricted funds and student activity funds.
The subpoena also requested any and all records related to the district’s participation in the Universal Services Fund contracts, letters of agency for consultants, consultant compensation and other related items.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Joseph Fitzpatrick declined to comment Monday about the subpoena.
When asked if Lincoln- Way was being investigated by the U. S. attorney’s office, he said his office does not confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.
Since late December, Lincoln-Way has been the site of controversy over a lawsuit filed by residents to prevent the closing of North high school and the district’s past financial practices, including those of Wyllie, who retired in 2013 after serving as superintendent for 24 years.
The board acknowledged in April — after a critical report from Crowe Horwath on bond proceeds from a referendum to construct North and West — that a proper system of checks and balances was not in place and Wyllie took unauthorized action.
A report from two complainants alleging financial fraud against Lincoln- Way was sent to the Will County sheriff’s office in either late March or early April, but the report was turned over to another agency.
Kathy Hoffmeyer, sheriff’s office spokeswoman, declined to specify which agency in April. A call to her Monday afternoon was not immediately returned.