Computer expert details bogus charter school documents
The former business manager of Dorothy June Brown's charter school network admitted in federal court Monday that he was lying to federal investigators when he told them the school boards had approved emergency loans to each other.
In fact, Anthony Smoot said, he lied over the course of seven interviews with federal agents.
But Smoot said he was telling the truth on the stand - he had to, he said, under his plea agreement with prosecutors. He has already pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the $6.7 million charter fraud case and prosecutors have told him he could be charged with lying to federal agents if he does not say what really happened.
Brown is accused of defrauding the four charter schools she founded and then conspiring with two former administrators to obstruct justice by initiating a cover-up. The trial is to resume Tuesday.
During cross-examination by Gregory P. Miller, one of Brown's defense attorneys, Smoot also acknowledged that he had asked his sister, Myra Corbin, who worked for Brown, to sign some blank checks.
"I was instructed to have the checks signed by Dr. Brown," Smoot said.
Miller asked Smoot why he had not just quit rather than involve his sister.
"I don't know why. I don't know why," Smoot said on his second day on the stand. "I just didn't."
Also during the ninth day of a trial that has featured testimony of doctored charter board meeting minutes, fake resolutions, and