Ex-NFL player, HISD official nailed in $6M school scam fuelled by gambling debts
A Houston federal jury just dropped the hammer on an ex-NFL player and a top shot at the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Anthony Hutchison, who used to play in the big leagues, and Brian Busby, HISD’s former chief operating officer, were found guilty in a massive $6 million fraud scheme. Turns out, this wasn’t just about lining their pockets – prosecutors say Hutchison’s out-of-control gambling habit was a major driving force.
Million-dollar plot: Bribes and bogus bills
For nearly a decade, these guys cooked up a scheme to rip off HISD. Hutchison allegedly bribed multiple HISD officials, with Busby being a key player, to steer lucrative landscaping contracts his way. His company, Southwest Wholesale, then allegedly overbilled the school district for services, purportedly charging for work that was not done or increasing the prices on supplies. We’re talking about a whopping $6 million swiped from the very system meant to help Houston’s kids.
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High stakes and big losses
Hutchison had a serious gambling problem and was drowning in debt, as per prosecutors. Testimony from professional poker player Ayaz Mahmood painted a clear picture. According to Mahmood, Hutchison was a terrible poker player who lost constantly, sometimes dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single game. He even described Hutchison’s tendency to “chase” losses with bigger, riskier bets – a classic sign of a gambling problem.
Mahmood testified that Hutchison would often lose big and then desperately try to win it back. To get cash for his high-stakes games and pay off those debts, prosecutors argued, Hutchison resorted to defrauding HISD.
Bribes for favours
Busby, as the district’s COO, played a crucial role in making this happen. Testimony revealed he pressured other HISD officials to give Hutchison’s company preferential treatment. We’re talking about bypassing the usual bidding process and just handing over contracts. In return for his help, Busby allegedly pocketed over half a million dollars in bribes from Hutchison.
Other HISD officials also admitted to taking bribes, describing the pressure from Busby to favour Hutchison’s businesses. This network of corruption ensured that Hutchison’s company continued to get work, no matter the cost or quality.
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Ledger and dodgy deposits
The feds had some serious evidence. They found a handwritten ledger at Hutchison’s place that prosecutors claimed documented the bribes and the HISD projects to which they were linked. Plus, Busby made millions in unexplained cash deposits across numerous bank accounts – way more than his official salary could explain.
Hutchison also allegedly tried to cover his tracks by falsely claiming gambling-related payments as business expenses on his tax returns.
Guilty verdicts. Five other HISD officials had already pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said: “People need to have faith in their public institutions, and they can become understandably cynical when they hear of public servants stealing from school kids…“
The sentencing for Hutchison and Busby is set for July 28.
