The state's top auditor called for a criminal probe of the Cook County regional education office after an audit found the director, Charles Flowers, repeatedly used a government credit card for personal expenses and approved questionable payments to relatives on his payroll. Click this link to read the full story:
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1619745,flowers-audit--0612.article
Here's a summary of the audit's major findings:
The audit concluded that Regional Office of Education #14:
· had inadequate internal control over disbursements. Because of the overall lack of internal controls, questions as to the accuracy and completeness of the general ledger, and problems noted in other findings throughout this report, auditors terminated work before testing was completed and issued a disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2008.
· did not have sufficient internal controls over the financial reporting process.
· had liabilities which exceeded its total net assets by $941,844. If the Regional Office continues to operate at the current level without obtaining additional funding or decreasing expenditures, ROE 14’s ability to continue as a going concern is questionable.
· utilized an accounting software package which was not designed for governmental entities and did not provide the internal controls and reporting features required for proper fund accounting.
· did not complete 9 of 12 monthly reconciliations of its bank statements and pooled cash accounts for fiscal year 2008.
· had inadequate controls over property and equipment.
· did not record payroll transactions in their general ledger for 5 months in fiscal year 2008 after they hired an outside agency to prepare their payroll.
· provided cash advances to two employees (Barbara Flowers and Arbdella Patterson) for non-business related purposes.
· paid a total of $1,798 in finance charges, late fees and other miscellaneous service charges on 6 credit cards.
· did not have receipts to support 70 percent of charges on the Regional Superintendent’s credit card. The Regional Superintendent also made numerous personal purchases, took cash advances, and paid for meals (both personal and for staff) on his credit card without properly documenting the purchases and advances.
· paid two Assistant Regional Superintendents $12,000 and $9,400 each in addition to their regular salaries for work completed during regular working hours.
· used Institute Funds for unallowable expenditures under 105 ILCS 5/3-12.
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22 comments:
What does it take to remove a crook like Flowers from his job? Or will we have another situation like we had with Maywood Trustee Lopez who was indicted by the Feds but who continued to sit on the Board or Trustees long after the indictment. Read the audit summary from the link to the article in this blog story. We've got fraud, patronage, mis-use of funds, non-compliance to State-mandated accounting practices, the list is endless! Now the ball is in Auditor General Holland's court. Come on, Mr. Holland - put this criminal where he belongs - behind bars!
I can't believe that it took the State Auditor this long to come up with his conclusion that Charles Flowers is a corrupt and inept fool!
What this means is that Flowers and his friends,The Reynolds and his family members are going to go to jail!
Where in the Hell is the car and furniture that Flowers bought with the office credit card?????
Why did Flowers pull 7,000 dollars out of his office credit card while in Mississippi? Was he at the Mississippi casino??????
Why does'nt Flowers talk to the reportes or having a spokesperson talk for him???Where has yarbrough gone?Why is she hiding??Did'nt Yabrough make the caninidate and then is'nt she responsible for him???Why is Yarbrough silent about how Flowers is destroying the school system in Cook County and not allowing our children to get a proper education???
Where is Manzo and peraica and Mazzulla and Martinez,and Nyberg, there guys were his supporters, why are they silent?? Why has'nt Nyberg blogged about Flowers???
Is his judgement scewed????
Flowers is such a charltan,always saying he was for the children and wanting our schools to be bettetr and saying that "a black man" should run Proviso, but now look what they found , Flowers stealing and jiving and not performing his duties, while our schools are falling apart!!!
So does this mean there won't be anymore fundraisers in Boytown for Flowers??
I know who has the car Flowers bought with the regional suerintendent's office money............................................... his close friend
Rue Paul is driving that mercedes around and is really low down!!
Chales and Rue were seen driving that mercedes around San Francisco at a convention he attended,along with Therese Kelly and Della Patterson.
P.S. also it is rumored that Rue Paul is on the payroll at the superintendent's office!
So, is this what would have happened if Flowers, and his flaccid henchmen Manzo, Peraica, Martinez, Kelly, Doolin and Nyberg, had been successful when they tried to gain the upper hand at Proviso 209, Forest Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, North Riverside and the Township?
We all must thank God Flowers was the only cheat to slink into office on the bogus and misleading "Clean Government" banner.
Where are his defenders and supporters now?
I have a feeling that soon, they too will fade away as we watch the public and good citizens of the area eliminate this cancer from the political face of our village, school, township, county and state governments.
This past April was just the start!
C. Flowers is now done and wilted!
And the rest, are soon to follow!
I wonder who'll be the first one at Flowers office to squel to the Feds???
My bet it will be Della Patterson and the Reynolds.
Flowers is such a disgrace.I'm planning to call the State Attorney's office as well and also request that they investigate how Flowers obtained his "Doctorate Degree in Education" from that closed Internet school!
Imagine if Flowers with his gang of thieves would have won the election for 209, they would have stolen everything out of Proviso and would have closed down the Math and Science academy and would have ended up having to closed Proviso West,after all the money the would have stolen!!!!
I wonder what Karen Yarbrough,Carl Nyberg,Mike Manzo,Tony Peraica,Doolin,Therese Kelly and McDermotthave to say about Charles Flowers now???
If the Feds can investigate Mike North's new radio stattion because the owner did'nt meet payroll, don't you think they'll investigate Flowers and his office??
My take there already investigating and soon you'll hear about it.
Could'nt have happened to a nicer guy and his group of supporters!
May 20, 2009
BY DUAA ELDEIB Staff Writer
Family trips paid for with district credit cards. Salary advance loans to family members on the payroll. Cash advances taken to pay for office furniture and vehicles that apparently never were purchased.
A SouthtownStar investigation into the shaky finances of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education led by Supt. Charles Flowers has turned up a laundry list of possible financial, ethical and legal misconduct.
So whose job is it to investigate Flowers?
"Ultimately the people who elected him are his boss," said Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus.
The state board of education can revoke his certification, rendering him unqualified for the position, but that typically doesn't happen until charges are filed.
That was the case most recently for Regional Superintendent of Schools Barry Kohl of downstate Benton. After he pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2007, ISBE stripped him of his credentials. Kohl's troubles were first brought to Attorney General Lisa Madigan's attention after a number of bad audits. In 2003, Kohl and the office were the target of a grand jury investigation, according to The Southern Illinoisan.
A spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office declined comment on Flowers case, as did a spokesman for the Office of Executive Inspector General. The Cook County sheriff's office - where Sheriff Thomas Dart recently formed a new financial crimes and public corruption unit to investigate allegations of corruption in school districts, park boards and municipalities - did not immediately return calls for comment.
State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood) was an early supporter of Flowers, but she said she received letters, e-mails and phone calls detailing many of the same troubles the SouthtownStar has discovered. But they've all been anonymous, and "I don't do anything with anything anonymous," she said.
"If they come with their name, I'll act," Yarbrough added.
When Flowers, a Democrat, was seeking his seat in 2006, Yarbrough was the Proviso Township Democratic committeewoman. Her support was crucial to his election. She said the controversy surrounding Flowers is "very disturbing."
"Just like I voted for Rod Blagojevich, I probably won't do it anymore," Yarbrough said of Flowers.
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Call Miss Eldeib and the feds and the state dept. of education and Lisa Madigan and Anita Alvarez and Tom Dart right now and demand a thourgh investigation of this monster named Flowers and his crew of thieves who are responsible for the destruction of our schools.
If our children can't read thank Charles Flowers and Della Patterson and Karen yarbrough and Mike Manzo and Therese Kelly and kevin McDermott!
Dear Mr. Holland:
Please do not stop with Charles Flower.
We the taxpayer ask you to look at the
spinless politician named Karen Yarbrough
who put him in the position and has covered
for him for years... on our tax dollar.
To Karen Yarbrough: Dear ms karen... we
the taxpayer are laughing now and wanting
to know how you intend to wiggle your way
out of this one... maybe by throwing yet
another event to distract taxpayers like
you threw in Maywood... cancer
awareness with flavored teas? Dress to
Impress?
My best advice to you Charles is: squeal.
I do not believe you will have anyone to
protect you in Statesville so spill your
guts on the Southside Dems.
Karen: show some spine for once and tell
the truth ( if you remember how). Please
do not act like a dumb blonde or cry
stating you had no idea any of this was
going on!
Bank account statements not reconciled for
months??? Read the audit report summary..
this is not going to go well for some of
you.
Dear Charles,
Do yourself a favor,as well as your entire family and friends and employees, RESIGN!
Yes Charles or Charlie or Doctor Flowers, just resign. Make a statement to the media,by e-mail and certified Mail and tender your resignation.
It makes alot of sense,think of the likely investigation that is going too be unleashed on you and your family and employees.
It's not a fun thing,just look what happened with the trial of the Melrose Park police.
Every employee and every family and friend of yours will be affected,scared,will be suponead,and will have to to a state,county or more likely a federal trial.
This will cost a hundred of thousands of dollars that nether you,your family,friends and employees can afford.
Yor reputation and legacy ,which has been tattered will be destroyed.
Not resigning will affect everyone,plus your own community of Maywood.
Dragging the inevitable only worsens things for you and all those employees you hired.
I suggest that you resign and appoint Mr. Reynold as the new regional superintendent. That way,you'll take the heat,free your employes and family and friends from investigation and trial costs.
You can say you made honest bone headed mistakes and that you will gallantly step aside, so as not to affect the very important work that your current office does. You'll also say that you'll take this time in exile, as a time to reflect and that your SORRY for your mistakes and that you'll continue to work to improve inner city and suburban schools.
By this magniminous action, you'll become the talk of the town of a couragous politician willing to resign for honor and for respect of the work school reformers,like you have always exposed.
By doing this, RESIGNING, you'll also save your poltical and professional career.Remember Charles, you might still be able to land a superintendent's job in the future and you can probably in the future run for public office if you don't get indicted and found guilty!!!
Also more importantly you protect your sister and nephew,the Reynolds, Karen Yarbrough(Who made you and basically gave you the job of regional super of Cook County schools), as well as Della Patterson and other employees of your office and possibly avoid that your current office be eliminated and have the State just do it themselves.
Going to jail is nothing fun.Having a conviction on your record will not allow you to get a job after being released from jail.Having your family,employees and friends get dragged through the mud and possibly go to jail is plain WRONG,EVIL, AND SELFISH!
So please Charles, JUST RESIGN!
Google Topix, then look up under search either Maywood,Ill or Melrose Park,Ill or Westchester,Ill and under discussions of these respective towns there's discussion boards on Charles Flowers and his corruption. Please feel free to discuss.
Interesting development this weekend, it was commented by others that Charles Flowers (Chucky) was seen meeting with Mike Manzo and Tony Peraica , and also Chucky was seen getting to together with Karen Yarbrough.
Charles was seen at the meetings with McDermott,Therese Kelly and Della Patterson.
Very Interesting that Tony Peraica's web page,"Reform Cook County" has no story about the crimes of corruption commited by his ally,supporter and friend, Charles Flowers.
His web page talks about Peraica's wasting of our tax dollars by spending his entire day Twitting,talks about Cicero, Melrose Park and Todd Stroger, but does'nt say a thing about the corruption of his protege Charles Flowers!!!
Hey Tony and Manzo, what's with this obvious denial of the news in your own district? I guess you can't talk about your political allies corruption, because he nourished him and helped get elected. Peraica and Manzo also worked with Flowers to try to get Flowers allies, Therese Kelly , Dela Patterson and McDermott elected. Flowers probably learned about "how to work the system" from Manzo and Peraica!
Why did this happen to Charles Flowers ?
Mr. Flowers is a very arrogant and despicable individual. He thinks he is above the law and he thinks he "knows better" than all the peons in Proviso. Chucky Cheese Flowers also thought he could bite the hand that feeds him and was upset with Karen "Gene with a skirt" Yarbrough for having double crossed Therese Kelly and Della Patterson. Eventhough he did'nt endorse anyone this past election cycle,Chucky Cheese was quitely working with Mike Manzo and Peraica to help his gang of thieves,Kelly and Patterson get elected.
When Kelly and Patterson got beat, he was heard to be voicing his oppostion to Yarbrough, and was working with Manzo and Peraica on finding canidates to run against her for Democratic committeman and State Rep.
Oh Chucky, what a mistake you made, you should no never to try to double cross the Wicked Witch of Maywood,Karen "The Hog" Yarbrough!
Remember what happened to Wanda Sharp? Well now it's happening to you and guess what, Sharp was saved , but she's been heard to be saying that "your going down" and going to spend some quality time in Jail,so you'll learn a lesson and others will learn to NEVER,EVER CROSS KAREN YARBROUGH AGAIN!
CAPECE,GOT IT,YOU GOT FUCKED BY THE EVIL GODMOTHER OF MAYWOOD AND PROVISO!
Appoint Reynolds?!? Are you serious? That man can't stay awake long enough to finish a meeting. Flowers sends him out to attend meetings on his behalf. What they need to do is put a person that does not currently work in the office to be interim. What are YOU thinking? And what does those other Asst. Supt's do? Broughton and Roberts? Isn't that the same Broughton from district 89? What are we doing, recycling Superintendetns?
Bob Ingrafia, who was the Regional Superintendent and did a fine job, has to be sick at what happens in his old office and how he lost the elections only because of Flowers' political support and that he ran as a Democrat. Everybody in the the know, including School Superintendents of the Schools Flowers is suppose to provide a service to, knew he was unqualifed and dreaded the day he would win over Ingrafia. I feel sorry for the person who has to clean up the mess after Flowers is thrown in jail.
I would start by asking each and
every taxpayer that Charles Flower's actions effects to consider yourself an employer. An
employer of who you ask... an
employer of spinless, weak politicians like karen yarbrough
and charles flowers. I would
ask you to consider the consequences that would be
impossed upon you if you had done
what these two low class trash
people had done... just what would
your employers do to you?
These two and their other
supporters and enablers are going
to continue to do what they have
done for years, because, they
think we the taxpayer are
inferior to them. They think their
political party will protect them.
They tell us all the time, "shut
your mouth, mind your own business,
go to work so we can continue our
pay to play ways and waste, waste
,waste your money." Please
understand, if we were homeless
and destitute, none of these
morons would waste even one second
being concerned for us... not one
second.
So, mr charles and ms karen... what
is it like to be so weak and
spinless that you can not think
on your own or earn an honest
living?
Do either one of you ever
remember life before you sold out?
Did you ever have a spine?
Do you regret having made
decisions that hurt many people?
I would venture to say, "no you
do not"... it is easy to be
weak, corrupt and spinless.
Take care dear ones ... all over
the planet people are rising up
and people like you two, will never
be able to adapt to being
scorned in public... people
turing their backs on you...
A world where the courts actually
hold people, such as you two,
accountable for your action... seizing all of the money you have
stolen over the years and making
you earn an honest living... I
know, I am laughing too, but, I
am not laughing at myself, I am
laughing at you ms karen and mr
charles....
Every dirty dog has its day and
plenty of us have been on the planet long enough to see the
old phrase, "what goes around
comes around" to be ohhh sooo
true!
To fellow taxpayers: I would ask
you to consider what your employer
would do to you if you had pulled
what mr charles has done, for years, on our tax dollars.. and for
ms karen yarbrough for covering his
backside, all these years, on our
tax dollar.... remember, we have
funded all of their bulsht.
Just what would your employers do
to you.. think about it.
To: ms karen yarbrough and mr
charles flowers: Do either one
of you even remember what it was
like to have a spine?
Do either one of you rember what
life was like before you sold out?
Do either one of you understand
that your good times, our our
hard earned income, is coming to
an end?
I would further ask taxpayers to
consider this: "How many hours
each week, each month do you work
to support this low class trash
in their pay to play lives"
Please understand, they do not
go to work to do what is best for
the whole. We that taxpayer
are expected to shut our mouths,
pull ourselves out of bed and go
to work to support their lifestyles. And believe me, they
earn more money than most of us
do. They will have no concern for
those of us who will be losing our
jobs as the ecomony worsens.
Understand, people hire and protect
people very much like themselves.
As the person who appointed mr
charles to his position, ms karen
can not cry and whine stating
she had no idea any of this was
going on because, gee karen, that
would be admitting that you
are stupid ( hint)... right under
your nose and you did not know
this was going on... if so, you
are incompetant to be in the
office that you are and you have
just told the rest of us how
incompetant you are...
Read the audit report karen..
You did not know any of this was
going on?
We that taxpayer do not believe
you.
I must tell you I had a wonderful weekend watching the criminal go down. I got a call Friday morning saying that he was in the Chicago SunTimes and also had a few laughs seeing him on CLTV and channel 7 news!!! Justice for all hopefully and finally. See, I am a former employee of the ROE and I tell you that I've seen a whole lot of wrong doing. This man thinks he knows everything. I'm amazed that he even has a Bachelor's degree. He can't even speak properly. His sisters and nephew are the same way. Talking like they know a lot and don't know nothing. They have lured the business manager into their trap and I hope she understands that she is going down as well. She let them intimidate her into laying people off and now the Flowers sisters have even be spotted driving the business managers vehicle. What a joke!!! She is also upset about Flowers being in the paper and all in the news. What she would do if she was smart is start looking for another job!!! I read that someone said to appoint Reynolds. PLEASE! Reynold's can't even stay awake unless of course, you are talking about a new recipe. Maybe he should work at a restaurant or a library for story time because he loves to tell stories about how his mom caught a chicken, killed it, and fried it up. Reynolds wife i hear is also in deep doo doo because she doesn't know anything about how her district is run. Now the audit is public. Poor, poor Charlie. This man should've charged body wash to the ROE account because he stinks and he also needs a bra, ugh! I'm glad he's getting what he deserves. It took long enough and now the people who SQUEALED on him can finally feel like they accomplished something. As for Karen, they went to her first and she did nothing. Now look what happened!!! Good things come to those who wait and I've waited on this day for a long time!
Those cars he bought are cars his nephew is driving. Charles, you are such an idiot, you should be the poster boy!
Please don't stop with only flowers. You need to look at the reynolds (harry and elizabeth). They are just as corrupt maybe even more so and still have power. elizabeth is going to drag district 132 down until the state stops her.
I am very pleased that the ROE is being investigated. It should not stop there- audits need to be done on local school districts too (89). The corruption does not begin and end with Flowers. "What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive..."
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