April 12--A second figure in the bribery scandal that brought down former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett pleaded guilty to federal charges on Tuesday.
Thomas Vranas, a co-owner of the SUPES Academy education training firm at the center of the scandal, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Vranas, who faces up to five years in prison, is cooperating with prosecutors.
Michael Monico, his attorney, declined to comment after the plea hearing in federal court.
Vranas and SUPES co-owner Gary Solomon are accused of promising to pay Byrd-Bennett hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes for steering lucrative no-bid contracts to their company.
Solomon and Vranas pleaded not guilty in October to multiple counts of wire and mail fraud.
Byrd-Bennett pleaded guilty in October to a single federal count of wire fraud and faces up to about 7 1/2 years in prison. Her sentencing has been postponed until the charges against Solomon and Vranas are resolved.
The Chicago Board of Education is seeking more than $65 million in damages and penalties in a lawsuit against Byrd-Bennett, Vranas and Solomon. SUPES Academy and Synesi Associates, companies that won more than $23 million in no-bid contracts from CPS while Byrd-Bennett was CEO, are also named in that suit.
jjperez@tribpub.com
