Gülen schools in Oklahoma face scrutiny
Another chain of charter schools in the United States affiliated with the shady Gülen Movement is under fire for "financial irregularities," allegations that include suspicious money transfers between schools and the Gülenist foundation as well as the alleged misuse of public funds.
In a report completed by Oklahoma state auditor Gary Jones, the Dove Charter Schools were supposed to receive financial endorsements from the Sky Foundation as a subsidiary but instead functioned in the opposite manner, with the charter school chain supporting the Sky Foundation in a breach of state regulations. According to the report, the Sky Foundation did not operate as a school sponsor but rather as the managing nonprofit for the Dove Charter Schools, making the foundation and the schools "one in the same."
"We did not find any evidence that the foundation solicited funds on behalf of the schools or donated funds to the schools. It appears that the schools were supporting [the] Sky [Foundation] instead of vice-versa," the report read. It also said Dove Science Academy paid the Sky Foundation approximately $3,182,000 in lease payments - exceeding the original purchase price of their property. In addition to suspicious money flow, the report cites that Sky Foundation spent public funds on out-of-state sponsorships for events that were not attended by students from Dove schools - a direct violation of charter school regulations. The report found that Dove schools redirected funds to the Sky Foundation for the purpose of obtaining loans.
The audit covers a two-year span from 2012 to 2014, according to state auditors, indicating in the report that similar irregularities from previous years could also be investigated.
Oklahoma hosts a small Turkish community, including their most prominent Turkish import Enes Kanter, a basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder and a staunch supporter of the Gülenists.
Charter schools run by Gülenists in the U.S. have been caught in a web of investigations by the FBI since 2014. Gülenists refer to members of the Gülen Movement or Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ). FETÖ members stand accused of operating a terrorist organization in a string of cases in Turkey on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, illegal wiretapping and money laundering.
Earlier, a U.S.-based newspaper reported that Gülenist schools are suspected of being involved in a $5 million fraud scheme, accused of funneling federal grant money to the Gülenists.
The Chicago Sun-Times report, based on court records, revealed that executives from the Concept Schools company, running a network of charter schools in the U.S., were the masterminds of a laundering scheme to transfer federal grant money to executive-affiliated companies - with at least $20,000 alleged to have been transferred from a company account to a bank account in Turkey.
A court document submitted by a special agent from the inspector general's office for the U.S. Department of Education revealed that Concept Schools directed large portions of money linked to the E-rate program - established by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides discounts to schools for acquiring affordable telecommunications equipment and Internet access in the U.S. - away from the charter schools to "related vendors" who paid more than $5 million to several companies linked to school executives.
In another court document, the account of a former Concept Schools official showed that the company accepted bids from contractors who had "close ties" with Gülenists, and rigged the grant scheme by awarding contracts to companies set up by members of the movement.
There are more than 140 schools in 26 states operated by groups linked to the Gülen Movement, which is active on six continents and has built a huge network of schools around the world The Gülenists have also allegedly abused the work visa system for Turkish teachers they sponsored to work in U.S.-based schools. Such teachers are issued an H-1B, a nonimmigrant visa that allows U.S.-based employers to temporarily employ foreigners in specialty occupations.
In a report completed by Oklahoma state auditor Gary Jones, the Dove Charter Schools were supposed to receive financial endorsements from the Sky Foundation as a subsidiary but instead functioned in the opposite manner, with the charter school chain supporting the Sky Foundation in a breach of state regulations. According to the report, the Sky Foundation did not operate as a school sponsor but rather as the managing nonprofit for the Dove Charter Schools, making the foundation and the schools "one in the same."
"We did not find any evidence that the foundation solicited funds on behalf of the schools or donated funds to the schools. It appears that the schools were supporting [the] Sky [Foundation] instead of vice-versa," the report read. It also said Dove Science Academy paid the Sky Foundation approximately $3,182,000 in lease payments - exceeding the original purchase price of their property. In addition to suspicious money flow, the report cites that Sky Foundation spent public funds on out-of-state sponsorships for events that were not attended by students from Dove schools - a direct violation of charter school regulations. The report found that Dove schools redirected funds to the Sky Foundation for the purpose of obtaining loans.
The audit covers a two-year span from 2012 to 2014, according to state auditors, indicating in the report that similar irregularities from previous years could also be investigated.
Oklahoma hosts a small Turkish community, including their most prominent Turkish import Enes Kanter, a basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder and a staunch supporter of the Gülenists.
Charter schools run by Gülenists in the U.S. have been caught in a web of investigations by the FBI since 2014. Gülenists refer to members of the Gülen Movement or Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ). FETÖ members stand accused of operating a terrorist organization in a string of cases in Turkey on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, illegal wiretapping and money laundering.
Earlier, a U.S.-based newspaper reported that Gülenist schools are suspected of being involved in a $5 million fraud scheme, accused of funneling federal grant money to the Gülenists.
The Chicago Sun-Times report, based on court records, revealed that executives from the Concept Schools company, running a network of charter schools in the U.S., were the masterminds of a laundering scheme to transfer federal grant money to executive-affiliated companies - with at least $20,000 alleged to have been transferred from a company account to a bank account in Turkey.
A court document submitted by a special agent from the inspector general's office for the U.S. Department of Education revealed that Concept Schools directed large portions of money linked to the E-rate program - established by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides discounts to schools for acquiring affordable telecommunications equipment and Internet access in the U.S. - away from the charter schools to "related vendors" who paid more than $5 million to several companies linked to school executives.
In another court document, the account of a former Concept Schools official showed that the company accepted bids from contractors who had "close ties" with Gülenists, and rigged the grant scheme by awarding contracts to companies set up by members of the movement.
There are more than 140 schools in 26 states operated by groups linked to the Gülen Movement, which is active on six continents and has built a huge network of schools around the world The Gülenists have also allegedly abused the work visa system for Turkish teachers they sponsored to work in U.S.-based schools. Such teachers are issued an H-1B, a nonimmigrant visa that allows U.S.-based employers to temporarily employ foreigners in specialty occupations.