We pull back the curtain on Detroit’s long-running school corruption case centered on vendor Norman Shy and 13+ school officials who approved phony invoices for undelivered supplies—then took kickbacks in cash, checks, and gift cards. We break down how the scheme worked, how the feds uncovered it, the court outcomes (from year-long sentences to a 5-year term for the vendor), and what it stole from students in an already strapped district. Key beats

• The scheme (2002–2015): Fake/partial deliveries → principals certify receipt → district pays → vendor kicks back cash/gift cards to officials.
• The money: ~$2.7M in fraudulent billings; ~$908K paid out as bribes; vendor profits off the rest.
• How it broke open: FBI/IRS probe; ledgers and manila folders tracking “favors” and payouts; federal charges announced in 2016.
• Legal outcomes:
  • Vendor Norman Shy: 5 years federal prison + $2.7M restitution.
  • Assistant superintendent & multiple principals: 6–24 months typical; restitution matching kickbacks.
  • One principal (Josette Buendia) went to trial and was convicted; appeals upheld.
• Systemic failures: Excess principal autonomy on purchasing, weak verification of deliveries, chaotic district finances, and gaps in auditing.
• Impact on students: Funds diverted from textbooks, tech, and repairs in crumbling buildings; trust in schools eroded.
• Reforms: DPS/DPSCD tightened purchasing, paused school-based buying, added audits/ethics oversight, and set up whistleblower channels.

Segments

• ☕ Iced Coffee of the Week — School Day Slush
  Dirty vanilla matcha over ice, topped with sweet cream cold foam (optional almond extract). Smooth, a little shady, and strong.
• 🧶 Crochet Project — Hall Pass Headband
  Quick block-stitch headband: “cute for class, not for crime.”
• 💬 Sip or Spill
  Was this individual greed or a system too easy to exploit? Tell us your take.

Content note Mentions of public corruption, school mismanagement, and financial crimes.

🌐 Where to Find Me
🎧 Stream all episodes: HERE
📱 TikTok & Instagram: @blackcoffeecrimecrochet
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🗂️ Sources
Department of Justice press materials
FBI/IRS case summaries
Sixth Circuit opinion in U.S. v. Buendia
Detroit Free Press/News coverage
DPS/DPSCD public statements

Special thanks to Momcast Productions for assisting me in writing this episode. If you have a podcast and would like to outsource some aspects, you can contact them at linktr.ee/momcastproductionsllc. Tell them I sent you!