What happened
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced on 12 November 2026 that a Delaware County grand jury indicted 17 members of the Ohio Civil Service Employee Association (OCSEA) for allegedly stealing or trying to steal $228,560 from the union's Union Education Trust between September 2013 and December 2025. Fourteen of the defendants worked at the Warrensville Developmental Center in Cuyahoga County. They are accused of falsifying documents to exaggerate class costs, duplicating invoices across several schools for classes never taken, and claiming reimbursement for costs already paid from other sources such as Federal Student Aid. Fourteen were indicted on Tuesday on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, forgery and theft: Kelasha Ashara Dudley, Antone Hatcher, Christopher James Haywood, Marcus James Henderson, Jacob Nii Quartey, Allan Antonio Smith, Ragan E. Spencer, Kelita M. Swanson, Victoria Alexandria Thompson, Ebony Dionne Watkins, Tomariah Le Shawn Whitner, Tomaniqua Whitner, Walter J. Williams Jr. and Brandon Jamal Witten. Kendra Davis and Melissa Mesaros were charged with theft, forgery and telecommunications fraud, and Tascha Walker with theft. Westerville Police led the investigation. The AG's office notes that indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent. No pleas were reported.
How the scam works
A charge, an arraignment, a witness's testimony or a prosecutor's accusation is not a finding of guilt. People and companies named in these reports are accused, charged or, where the source says so, convicted or sentenced, and they are presumed innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise. Do not treat a news report or a press release as a substitute for a court judgment. If you think you were affected by the same kind of scheme, keep records and report them to the investigating agency named in the source, or to your local police and your bank.
Source
Source: https://x.com/OhioAG/status/2120892773566152976 (@OhioAG, Nov 12, 2026, 9:53 AM ET); https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/November-2026/17-Indicted-in-Schemes-to-Defraud-Labor-Union-of-E (Ohio Attorney General, 12 Nov 2026)