Schrenko gives innocent plea

ATLANTA - Former state Schools Superintendent Linda Schrenko on Friday once again entered a not guilty plea in a federal court in response to charges that she embezzled more than $600,000 in education money while in office.

ADVERTISEMENT

Have a thought? Go to the Forums or Chat.

Subscribe  E-mail this story  Write a letter to the Editor  Printer-friendly version  Get news on your PDA  Get e-mail headlines

This time, Mrs. Schrenko, who is facing additional charges of money laundering after a new federal indictment came out this week, did not show up at the courthouse in Atlanta to enter the plea as she had in November. Her attorney, Pete Theodocion, appeared for Mrs. Schrenko at Friday's hearing.

A trial date has not been set for the case in which she and other defendants are accused of working together to funnel grant money through fake computer contracts into a failed 2002 gubernatorial campaign, a face-lift for Mrs. Schrenko and their own pockets.

Stephan Botes, the owner of a computer consulting company who is accused of helping illegally move money to Mrs. Schrenko's campaign, did appear in court Friday with an attorney to enter another plea of innocence. He also was named in the original indictment in November.

Mrs. Schrenko initially faced an 18-count federal indictment, which ballooned to 40 this week.

Some of the 22 counts of money laundering recently added against her each bring a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

A number of pleas have already been entered in the case. Johnny Turner, the chief financial officer of Mr. Botes' computer companies, pleaded guilty in December to illegally structuring financial transactions and admitted to writing company checks that he and other employees cashed to deliver money in 2002 to Mrs. Schrenko's former deputy superintendent, Merle Temple.

Mr. Temple, of Evans, has also pleaded guilty and could testify against Mrs. Schrenko.

Mrs. Schrenko's campaign manager, Richard Leonard, of Augusta, and Miller Finley, of Evans, a former state education department aide, also have pleaded guilty to charges filed in connection with the case. Peter Steyn, the chief operating officer of Mr. Botes' companies, was accused in the latest indictment of structuring some of the money laundering transactions. He pleaded not guilty Thursday.

Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (404) 589-8424 or vicky.eckenrode@morris.com.

--From the Saturday, February 12, 2005 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle