Sentencing set for April for ex-Chicago Public Schools CEO Byrd-Bennett
More than a year after Barbara Byrd-Bennett pleaded guilty to a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme, a sentencing date has been set for the former chief executive of Chicago Public Schools.
Byrd-Bennett, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's hand-picked schools leader, faces up to about 71/2 years in prison at her sentencing April 13 before U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang.
Last week's guilty plea by the final co-defendant, Gary Solomon, a co-owner of the SUPES Academy and Synesi Associates education consulting companies, cleared the way for Byrd-Bennett's sentencing to be set. He is to be sentenced March 24.
Thomas Vranas, also a co-owner of the companies, earlier pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced April 12.
In pleading guilty in October 2015, Byrd-Bennett admitted steering multimillion-dollar no-bid contracts to SUPES in exchange for the promise of up to $2.3 million in kickbacks.
The SUPES and Synesi companies also pleaded guilty last week to one count of wire fraud. Each company could face fines as high as $6.4 million, in addition to a total of $254,000 in restitution that Solomon and his co-defendants will collectively pay to the school district.
CPS said it would continue to pursue a lawsuit that seeks more than $65 million in damages and other penalties from Byrd-Bennett and her co-defendants.
jjperez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @PerezJr
