A forensic review of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 found 438 credit card charges by former Superintendent Devon Horton that were personal, unsupported, against policy or made after he left, totaling $60,532. Horton has repaid $22,922.

Board President Nichole Pinkard called Horton's actions "abhorrent" at a Committee of the Whole meeting where the district released the findings publicly, according to Patch. Pinkard said Horton deeply violated public trust by diverting resources meant for students and schools.

The 179-page report, prepared by Crowe Advisory LLC, examined district financial oversight from July 2020 through June 2024, covering Horton's tenure and the year after his departure. The board voted Jan. 26 to hire Crowe for the audit, capping the cost at $115,000, the Evanston RoundTable reported.

Crowe found weak record-keeping, approvals and financial controls, especially from fiscal years 2021 through 2023, according to the district's summary. Those weaknesses enabled Horton to commit the financial crimes to which he has pleaded guilty.

Outside the matters tied to Horton's criminal case, Crowe found no evidence of fraud, misappropriation or personal benefit by any other district employee, board member or vendor.

Contract gaps and missing paperwork

The audit sampled 139 vendor payments. Crowe could not locate a contract for 29 of them. Another 32 were tied to contracts that were signed after work started, had expired or did not clearly apply.

Three vendors named in the federal indictment lacked basic documentation. Records for Connecting the Dots Leadership Initiative, Asset Protection Specialist and New Flight 35 were missing contracts or proof that work was done. Most invoices from those vendors were marked "OK TO PAY" by Horton, according to the report.

Under Horton, the board generally approved bills after payment had already gone out, limiting its ability to question charges first, according to the district.

Board member Maria Opdycke said the problems extended well beyond the kickback scheme. "It goes beyond the kickback scheme to the hiring practices, to the budgeting overruns, to the contracts for even services that were provided that didn't ultimately lead to any demonstrable improvement in student outcomes," Opdycke said, according to Patch.

Foster School savings off by millions

The audit flagged a major discrepancy in a savings projection tied to Foster School. In March 2022, the board was told the school's lease payments would be covered by about $3.25 million a year in savings, mostly from busing.

The district's transportation director had estimated actual savings at $500,000 to $800,000 and warned that other costs could erase that amount, according to the district's summary. Crowe found no record showing that the transportation director’s estimate was shared with the board at the time. No records were found to support the $3.25 million figure.

Controls tightened, sentencing ahead

Crowe credited the district with tightening controls since fiscal year 2024, including new contracting steps, fewer credit cards with monthly public reporting, board review before payments and far fewer stipends. Board member Andrew Wymer thanked former Chief Financial Officer Tamara Mitchell, who joined after Horton's departure and changed many procedures, Evanston Now reported.

Horton pleaded guilty Oct. 5 to three counts of wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion. All four defendants in the case have now entered guilty pleas, averting a trial that had been scheduled for Oct. 21, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Horton's sentencing is set for Jan. 5, 2027. Prosecutors said he could face 87 to 108 months in prison.