SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — Barbara Harris, 55, of South Holland, pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge on Wednesday for stealing $1.8 million from government funds intended for after-school programs benefiting underprivileged youth.
Harris served as the executive director of the Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP), an organization that received federal grants to support after-school initiatives in Chicago-area schools. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois reported that CCASP received funding through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, a federal initiative managed by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Between 2012 and 2017, Harris worked with Tony Bell, 64, of Matteson, a fellow CCASP executive, to submit fraudulent grant applications. They inflated the projected expenses and falsely claimed that CCASP would be receiving services from five subcontractors. Harris was aware that these subcontractors, including two non-profits she and Bell controlled, did not provide any actual services, resulting in a loss of $1.8 million to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Bell, who faces charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and wire fraud, has pleaded not guilty to the allegations and is awaiting trial.
In addition to her role in the CCASP fraud scheme, Harris was also involved in a separate fraud operation between 2021 and 2023. As co-executive director of South Suburban Community Services, she defrauded the federally funded AmeriCorps VISTA program. Harris falsely claimed that VISTA members would develop new programs to enhance economic opportunities in Chicago’s south suburbs. Instead, she misused the members to support existing job training and violence prevention programs.
Harris fraudulently secured approval for 11 VISTA members, none of whom fulfilled the duties they were assigned, which led to a $98,699 loss to the AmeriCorps VISTA program.
