Nationwide — Earl Joe Nelson and Mario D. Willis, two African American superintendents whose school districts are both about an hour from Jackson, Mississippi, have been indicted for allegedly stealing public school funds, arranging fake consulting payments, and giving illegal kickbacks in a scheme that lasted over a year.
Federal prosecutors charged Nelson and Willis with conspiracy to commit embezzlement, theft, and bribery. From November 2021 to June 2023, both of them allegedly paid each other tens of thousands of dollars using school district funds for consulting services that were never provided, according to WLBT.
At the time, Nelson was superintendent of Clarksdale Municipal School District. He now leads Leake County School District. Willis is the current superintendent of Hollandale School District. Prosecutors say both men misused the funds from the U.S. Department of Education meant to support the school districts’ programs and students.
Another person, Moneka M. Smith-Taylor, a consultant and teacher based in St. Louis, was also indicted. She allegedly received more than $250,000 from Willis for work she didn’t perform, then returned part of that money to him as a kickback.
The Mississippi Department of Education declined to comment and referred questions to local school boards, which handle staffing decisions. As of now, both Nelson and Willis remain listed as superintendents in the state’s online directory. It’s unclear whether they are still actively working.