NEW YORK – A former consultant to the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to over three years months in prison for illegally obtaining $1.7 million in DOE funds that were intended to provide Internet access to New York City Public Schools. 

Willard Lanham, a/k/a “Ross Lanham,” directed the funds to “Lanham Enterprises,” a company he owned and controlled, but performed no work to justify receipt of the funds.  He was convicted in March 2012 of one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds and three counts of mail fraud after a six-day jury trial.