North Miami Adult Education Center principal arrested on multiple felony charges

Jean Ridore accused of accepting unlawful compensation, official misconduct, grand theft

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. ā€“ The principal of the North Miami Adult Education Center was arrested Monday on multiple felony charges, the Miami-Dade County state attorney's office announced.

Jean Ridore was charged with unlawful compensation, official misconduct and grand theft. He bonded out of jail overnight.

Multiple law enforcement agencies began investigating Ridore after receiving anonymous complaints about his hiring and employment practices.

According to an arrest warrant, employees were paid who did not show up to work, employees earned higher than customary wages in order to kickback money to Ridore and some lost their jobs to friends of Ridore.

State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said an undercover officer met Ridore in an alleyway to discuss hiring the officer as a handyman.

Rundle said Ridore accepted $1,000 in cash in exchange for hiring the handyman at the center, which is housed within North Miami Senior High School.Ā 

Authorities said Ridore also arranged a kickback of the so-called employee's salary and approved 40 hours of work for the undercover officer, who never worked at the center. Authorities said Ridore agreed the handyman would be a "ghost employee" and wouldn't have to show up for work so long as Ridore received 50 percent of his salary.

"Thinking that you can use government money to benefit yourself is the mentality of a thief, not a public servant," Fernandez Rundle said. "Each educational dollar is intended to better individuals and our community, not someone who can manipulate the system.Ā  I am proud that this multi-agency law enforcement effort has been able to end such financial abuse. This kind of collaborative public schools and law enforcement anti-corruption investigation is one of the strengths of our local community."

According to the arrest warrant, Ridore had as many as 20 "ghost employees" or "no-show employees" working under him.

The city of North Miami has since suspended grant funding to the program.

"I have also ordered a comprehensive review of all policies and procedures concerning how this grant was awarded and administered," North Miami Deputy City Manager Arthur H. Sorey III said.Ā 

Ridore has been the school's principal since July 2005 and has been employed by Miami-Dade County Public Schools since 1994.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego said the district has been collaborating with the state attorney's office.

"Let this serve as an example that any attempt to engage in illegal activity or to defraud the community will not only be investigated, but prosecuted to the full(est) extent of the law," she said. "Both internally and externally, we are fully committed to protecting the integrity of our school system."

Gonzalez-Diego said Ridore will be reassigned to a work site away from the school. She said "his employment record reflects his long career with the district and shows nothing negative impacting his status."

Ridore's current salary is $110,065.

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