Broward schools staff misled the board on a laptop deal and paid a vendor $540,625 a year
Broward County's Office of the Inspector General released a final report on Sept. 30, 2026 on Broward County Public Schools' 2023-2024 purchase of student laptops. It found staff did not commit misconduct or gross mismanagement but mismanaged the procurement and misled the School Board, and that a district compliance officer tried to steer business to iPad and iPhone Warehouse LLC, owned by Brian Farrell. The OIG alleges Farrell submitted a forged document and misrepresented his firm's eligibility to win a $540,625-per-year distribution contract, and says the board paid the company under those misrepresentations. The case was referred to the Broward State Attorney's Office, and Attorney General James Uthmeier's office said it will investigate. On Oct. 13 the board voted 6-3 to fire former operations director Jennifer Andreu, who denies wrongdoing. No other discipline has been reported.
I did nothing to warrant termination and stand by my nearly 30 years of public service and integrity.
The school board paid PPW under these misrepresentations.
The OIG says Farrell later violated state law in a successful bid for a $540,625 per-year contract with the district.
Superintendent Howard Hepburn: "The concerns identified in this report are unacceptable, and we are taking action."
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