ATLANTA (AP) — The superintendent of Georgia's third-largest school district is resigning after being indicted on federal charges alleging he ran a kickback scheme and stole money from a smaller school district in suburban Chicago.
The DeKalb County school board on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Devon Horton effective Nov. 15. Board members had been facing calls to fire Horton.
School board members also voted Wednesday to hire an auditor to examine spending under Horton.
Horton has been making $360,000 a year. He will be paid through Nov. 15, said spokesperson Carla Parker, but will receive no payments after that date.
A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted Horton last week on 17 counts including wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion. The indictment alleges Horton issued more than $280,000 in contracts to three friends and received more than $80,000 in kickbacks from 2020 through 2023 while he was superintendent of the Evanston-Skokie school district. That district had 5,800 students in grades K-8 last year.
Indicted along with Horton were three other men who prosecutors allege were part of the scheme: Antonio Ross of Chicago; Samuel Ross of Berwyn, Illinois; and Alfonzo Lewis of Chicago.
A lawyer for Horton, Terry Campbell, has said Horton “is eager to address his case in court.” Lawyers for Samuel Ross and Antonio Ross have declined to comment. No lawyer is listed for Lewis in court records.
Horton was supposed to appear in federal court for his arraignment Wednesday, but it has been postponed until Oct. 23.
The DeKalb County school board has named former Chief of Student Services Norman Sauce as acting superintendent.
The indictment alleges that the four men created companies and billed for services they didn't provide in order to bilk money from the Evanston-Skokie and Chicago school districts. In addition to $283,500 from Evanston-Skokie, the indictment alleges that Antonio Ross, then principal of Hyde Park Academy High School in Chicago, issued a fraudulent contract to a Horton-controlled company that netted Horton $10,000.
Horton tried to hire Antonio Ross after Horton became superintendent in DeKalb County, but Ross declined the job amid questions about the business relationship between the two men.
Horton also faces charges that he stole more than $30,000 from the Evanston-Skokie district in 2022 and 2023 by using his district purchasing card to make personal purchases. Horton is also charged with tax evasion over allegations that he didn't report the kickbacks and personal purchases on his income tax returns.
Because of the large amount of money allegedly stolen and the fact that Horton was a public official, he could face more than 10 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines if convicted.
Prosecutors seek to have all four men forfeit the money in question.
DeKalb County school Superintendent Devon Horton speaks during a press conference at Lithonia High School in Lithonia, Ga., on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Bernie Kosar received a liver transplant on Monday, more than a year after being placed on the waiting list.
“Hey, I’m out and I’m feeling good. Just ready to enjoy the rest of the week and the rest of our lives," the former Cleveland Browns and University of Miami quarterback said in a brief video posted on social media.
University Hospitals spokesperson Ansley Kelm said the transplant took place at UH Cleveland Medical Center in University Circle.
“The entire UH team has grown fond of Bernie and we are astonished by the indomitable spirit Browns fans have known and loved for decades. As with all organ donations, we are humbled and awed by the generosity of the donor and their family. Due to confidentiality laws, we cannot provide additional details about the donor,” Kelm added in a statement.
Kosar told Cleveland Magazine last year that he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease.
The 61-year-old from Youngstown recalled being bothered by liver-related issues for years but brushed them off because he wasn’t sure of the source. A diagnosis of cirrhosis in late 2023 confirmed the specificity and severity of his condition.
He went on the transplant waiting list last July. He was scheduled to receive a liver transplant last weekend but said that it was delayed because the donor’s organ was infected.
During the past week, he has undergone five procedures to stop internal bleeding.
Kosar played in the NFL for 12 seasons after leading Miami to its first national championship during the 1983 season. He grew up rooting for the Browns, who selected him in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft.
Kosar played for the Browns from 1985-93, leading the franchise to three AFC championship game appearances (1986, ’87 and ’89), losing each time to the Denver Broncos. Kosar is third in franchise history with 21,904 passing yards.
After being released by the Browns, Kosar joined the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the 1993 season and got a Super Bowl ring. He then played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994-96.
The Browns played a tribute video for Kosar before Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that he texted with Kosar on Sunday night and wished him luck.
“Yeah, I mean, Bernie’s my guy. I know that this town has such a special relationship with Bernie from his playing days and then the impact that he’s had on this community over the course of all these years,” Stefanski said. “I didn’t have that experience with Bernie prior to coming here, but since I’ve been here, he has just been such a supportive person of me, so kind to my family. I think he sees my family every game day and just is so good to them. So, he’s a special person. He’s a special Cleveland Brown, and we are all rooting for him and we are all right there with him right now.”
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FILE - Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar waves during a Browns' Alumni event before an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
