Principal No. 7: I scammed DPS, too, for $58,000

Offering no explanation or apology, another Detroit principal pleaded guilty today to accepting kickbacks from a vendor who billed the cash-strapped district for supplies that were never delivered.

Ronnie Sims, ex-principal of Fleming Elementary and Brenda Scott Middle School, faces nearly three years in prison after admitting that he accepted $58,519 from businessman Norman Shy as a thank you for signing off on Shy's fraudulent invoices for supplies. All of the money was delivered in checks, said Sims, who also admitted setting up a sham consulting company, which was how Shy funneled him the payments, records show.

"I would submit documents to the district that were basically fraudulent," Sims told U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts. Shy "then, in return, would give me kickbacks."

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