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Lawsuit alleges high school principal created fake students to receive COVID funds
Metropolitan Washington High School and its principal Gamaliel Onyemaobi-Prince are facing new charges for a fraudulent COVID-related aid application.
BETHESDA, Md. - Metropolitan Washington High School and its principal Gamaliel Onyemaobi-Prince are facing new charges for a fraudulent COVID-related aid application.
Maryland AG Anthony G. Brown announced on Friday that the state has filed a suit against the high school. Emergency funds were made available to private schools in response to the COVID pandemic to help cover COVID-related expenses ranging from cleaning products to improving ventilation systems.
According to officials. Onyemaobi-Prince submitted an application on behalf of the school, claiming that the school enrolled six hundred students and provided copies of receipts for supplies and services the school claimed to have purchased as a result of COVID.
The AG's office says the school operates out of a residential address and the receipts submitted were forgeries. The Maryland State Department of Education noticed these discrepancies and did not approve the application for COVID aid.
"Maryland children faced unprecedented upheaval during the COVID pandemic and falsifying an application to wrongfully receive funds intended to alleviate some of that turmoil is inexcusable," said Attorney General Brown. "I commend the Maryland State Department of Education on its vigilance in preventing this alleged fraudulent use of funds intended for COVID relief."
"The Maryland State Department of Education is grateful that the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is acting to protect the public from the defendants’ attempt to wrongfully obtain COVID related aid," said Acting State Superintendent of Schools Sylvia Lawson, Ph.D. "The MSDE’s vigilance in carefully reviewing every grant application and denying this application prevented the misuse of public funds intended to help schools and students continue their education during the COVID pandemic."
Submission of a false or fraudulent claim is punishable by fines of up to $10,000 per instance and treble damages. The school and principal are facing $140,000 in penalties for the fraudulent application and forged supporting documents.
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