A Layton woman on Friday admitted to defrauding the Davis School District of millions of dollars in a textbook purchasing scheme -- one of the biggest school fraud cases in state history.
Susan Ross, 65, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of money laundering.
The felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, although prosecutors agreed to recommend she serve 27 months.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 14 before U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups.
Ross' plea came one day after her husband, John D. Ross, 67, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of aiding and abetting fraudulent copyright notice. A sentencing date for John Ross is pending.
As part of their plea deals, the couple have agreed to forfeit at least $786,000 in cash, as well as homes in Layton, South Weber and Mountain Green, and at least two cars.
"What Susan and John Ross did was despicable and shameful," said Paul Camacho, the Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge for the Internal Revenue Service. "They were entrusted to be mindful stewards of limited educational dollars. Instead, they became selfish, greedy criminals who put their own interests before the well being of our children's education."
The Rosses, both former Davis School District employees, were each indicted in 2007 on 47 counts of fraud, theft, money laundering and copyright infringement.
The indictment accuses them of selling photocopies of books to schools that receive federal Title 1 grant money to help disadvantaged students. The books were sold at vastly inflated prices through an intermediary company, which kept a small percentage of the profit and paid the rest to a company owned by the Rosses, according to the indictment.
Between 2000 to 2005, the Rosses allegedly took in $4.3 million from the scheme.
Susan Ross, who was employed by the district beginning in the 1970s, was director of federal programs before she retired in spring 2005. John Ross is the former Title I specialist for the Utah Office of Education and worked as a grant specialist for the Davis district from March 2000 to February 2005.
