FBI Confirms Investigation into Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

There is a particular gravity that settles over a school district when the institutions meant to educate children become the subject of federal investigation—a gravity that transforms the ordinary work of classrooms and cafeterias into a backdrop for something more unsettling. In Charlotte, North Carolina, that transformation has occurred. On Monday, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina confirmed they are investigating Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the state's second-largest district, joining a growing list of agencies probing allegations of financial irregularities and misconduct .

The confirmation came in brief statements that offered few details but carried significant weight. "I can confirm the FBI & the U.S. Attorney's Office is investigating a matter related to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools," said Shelley Lynch, a public affairs officer for FBI Charlotte. "Due to the ongoing investigation, I cannot provide any additional information" . A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office echoed that statement, saying the investigation is active and no further details could be released .

The federal inquiry is the latest in a series of investigations that have engulfed the district over the past several months. In mid-September, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather requested that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation launch a formal criminal investigation into "reports of alleged financial irregularities within transactions involving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools" . State Auditor Dave Boliek announced his office was also investigating, and personally visited CMS headquarters . Then, late last week, State Superintendent Mo Green and State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis announced that the Department of Public Instruction would conduct its own review, saying the allegations "are serious and warrant careful review" .

The turmoil at the center of these investigations has been building for months. In June, the school board suspended Superintendent Crystal Hill after voting down her budget, saying only that members were investigating undisclosed "allegations" against her . In August, the board reinstated Hill, again without explanation, after an outside investigation that cost nearly $400,000 found no evidence of misconduct . Then, in September, Hill sent the board an explosive memo alleging that then-chair Stephanie Sneed had routed hundreds of thousands of dollars to a friend and political ally, consultant Raki McGregor, without the superintendent's or most of the board's knowledge . The board voted 5-4 to fire Hill, and Sneed stepped down from her leadership position .

The leadership vacuum has deepened since then. A majority of Hill's leadership cabinet has announced plans to retire or resign by the end of the year, including Melissa Balknight, the interim superintendent appointed to replace Hill while the board searches for a permanent successor . In the midst of this chaos, the board appointed Gregory "Dee" Rankin as its new chair—a man who, state records show, was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud in 2009 as part of a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme .

The federal investigation adds a new dimension to a situation that was already extraordinary. The district, which serves more than 140,000 students, is now subject to scrutiny from the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, the State Auditor, and the Department of Public Instruction—all at once. The board has said it is cooperating. For the families of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the question that lingers is not only what happened to the district's finances, but what it will take to restore the trust that has been eroded.

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Sources: Charlotte Observer, Spectrum News, Blue Ridge Public Radio, FOX8 WGHP