Posted on June 21, 2007

Ex-N.O. School Board President Pleads Guilty To Accepting Bribe

WWLTV (New Orleans), June 20, 2007

Former Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms pled guilty to accepting $140,000 in bribes from a local businessman in exchange for promoting and approving a software education program for the parish schools, her attorney announced Wednesday.

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According to documents, Brooks-Simms received $140,000 in bribes and the unnamed businessman received a contract for the program that was worth $900,000. U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said that both Brooks-Simms and the businessman funneled the payments through several bank accounts to disguise their illegality.

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While court documents did not name the businessman, an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune quoted sources as saying it was Mose Jefferson, brother of indicted Congressman William Jefferson.