3 MWC Women Charged In Scamming OKC Schools Tutoring Program

A federal indictment unsealed on Monday charges three Midwest City women with scamming Oklahoma City Schools out of thousands of dollars.

Patricia R. Burns, 71, Rebecca E. Cotton, 42, and Bobbie J. Dailey, 62, were charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Education by making false claims for payment for tutoring session of students attending Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Burns and Cotton both appeared in front of a federal judge Monday afternoon.

Cotton was charged with eight counts of making false statements to the government, wire fraud, money laundering and ID theft. Burns faces four counts of making false statements to the government.

Prosecutors say Burns and her daughter Cotton ran two tutoring companies: A+ Academics and Foundations and charged the OKCPS for more than a $100,000 in tutoring that never took place.

The funding was provided by the federal government as part of the No Child Left Behind Act.

The indictment says during the 2009-2010 school year, the women had contracts with OKCPS to provide tutoring at US Grant High School and Rosevelt Middle School. During that time, prosecutors say the women instructed tutors to sign rosters for tutoring sessions that did not exist.

During the school year OKCPS paid A+ and Foundations $1.2 million for tutoring services.

Cotton, was also charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated ID theft. They were both released from custody. Attorneys representing the duo refused comment.

Dailey is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.