U.S. DOJ secures bribery, fraud and ML convictions against former official in $3.25M education contracting scheme, with $1.15M diverted for personal benefit

Former state representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton and businessman Joseph Johnson were convicted following a nine-day federal trial over a years-long scheme involving public education funds. Prosecutors alleged that millions of dollars were directed to Johnson-linked businesses while Stapleton received substantial secret financial benefits, resulting in convictions spanning bribery, fraud and money laundering…