Prosecutors investigate possible theft of more than $500,000 from TPS
12/4/2009The Lucas County prosecutor's office is investigating a former Toledo Public Schools official for a possible theft of more than $500,000 from the district.
The prosecutor's office was contacted earlier this year by the state auditor's office for assistance in obtaining records, John Weglian, chief of the special units division said Friday morning.
He said that since then, an investigator has looked into former Chief Business Manager Dan Burns' tenure at TPS and the possibility that he was responsible for stealing more than $500,000 from the district.
Mr. Weglian said that the investigation is ongoing and that there is no indication when charges are possible.
A Cuyahoga County grand jury Thursday indicted Mr. Burns, the Cleveland schools' former chief operating officer, on charges of theft in office, tampering with records, and racketeering.
Mr. Burns is accused of approving $160,000 in bogus printing equipment purchases and service fees, then sharing the money with a vendor he had done business with for years, prosecutors say. Collectively, he is being investigated for taking about $750,000 from both districts.
Mr. Burns formerly worked more than 30 years for Toledo Public Schools.
John Briggle, of Superior Offset Supplies in Toledo, also was indicted in Cleveland on charges of theft, tampering with records, and racketeering. The men are scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 17.
Information from The Plain Dealer was used in this report.