Boone schools paid for 4,993 cases of soap and got 829 in a $3.4M pandemic-era fraud
From about 2020 through 2023, Boone County Schools maintenance director Michael David Barker approved inflated invoices from Rush Enterprises, a Kentucky supplier run by Jesse Marks; the district was billed for 4,993 cases of hand soap in 2022-23 but received about 829. Prosecutors said about $3.4 million of the more than $4 million the board paid Rush was tied to the scheme, including federal funds, and Barker received about $2 million. Barker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and in November 2025 was sentenced to 2 years 9 months in prison; Marks received five years' probation. Both owe $3,448,571.85 in restitution. In June 2025 the West Virginia Board of Education took over the district, citing irregularities in federal funds, vacated the superintendent and assistant superintendent posts and said a federal criminal investigation of the district was underway.
Marks confessed to giving Barker at least half of the fraudulent profits
The WBVE also said a federal criminal investigation is underway into Boone County Schools.
Barker received approximately $2,000,000 as a result of the fraudulent scheme
Not yet contacted for this story.
Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud on April 7, 2025.
No outcome recorded yet.