U.S. indicts Schrenko
Former top school official accused of skimming $500,000, including $9,300 for face-lift
By JAMES SALZER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former Georgia School Superintendent Linda Schrenko, whose groundbreaking political career dissolved into erratic behavior and defeat, was indicted on federal charges that she stole more than $500,000 in taxpayer money and spent part of it on cosmetic surgery.
Schrenko, 54; her close friend and chief assistant Merle Temple, 56; and Alpharetta businessman A. Stephan Botes, 47, were named in an 18-count indictment that alleges they were involved in a scheme to steal federal education funds and secretly funnel about half the money to Schrenko's failed 2002 campaign for governor.
In addition, the indictment charges the Republican school superintendent used $9,300 of the money to pay for cosmetic surgery.
Schrenko acknowledged in November 2002 that she had had a face lift in recent weeks.
The federal funds purportedly were used to purchase computer services for two state schools for the deaf and the Governor's Honors Program, but officials say the services weren't delivered.
"The defendants attempted to cover up the scheme by filing false campaign disclosure forms, creating back-dated contracts, devising false cover stories and lying to state of Georgia auditors and to the public," said Sally Quillian Yates, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Cathy Henson, who was chairwoman of the state Board of Education in 2002 and questioned Schrenko's use of education funds, said she was "delighted" by the indictments.
"I think the taxpayers of Georgia won," said Henson. "The sweet part is that the process worked. Everybody should remember, as trite as it sounds, that nobody is above the law."
Henson said she became suspicious when she discovered Schrenko had directed her staff to issue a series of checks on the same day, July 24, in amounts just under $50,000.
Keeping the checks under $50,000 allowed the money to be doled out without Board of Education approval.
On Wednesday, Rusty Paul, former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, said "She had a lot of support from the Christian conservatives in the Republican Party, both in her gubernatorial run and in her tenure as school superintendent."
Georgia's former deputy schools superintendent pleaded guilty Monday to charges he conspired to help divert federal education money to finance his boss' failed bid for governor.
