Federal judge denies former foster care leader's request to travel to El Salvador
TOPEKA — A federal judge rejected a former Kansas foster care leader's request to leave the country, even though a Chicago faith leader vouched for him.
Robert 'Father Bobby' Smith, who led Saint Francis Ministries from 2014 to 2020, faces federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. He asked the court last month to travel from his home in Johnson City, Tennessee, to El Salvador so he could visit his ex-wife and attend their daughter's high school graduation.
U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse sided with a prosecutor who warned that Smith was a flight risk, based on family connections and the federal government's inability to apprehend him if he stayed in El Salvador.
Pastor Corey Brooks, of New Beginnings Church of Chicago, wrote a letter dated April 10 to the judge in support of Smith's request to travel.
'I have every confidence that his intent is to attend the graduation, celebrate his daughter's success, and return to Tennessee,' Brooks wrote.
Brooks said he believes so much in Smith that he was willing to travel with him to the graduation.
But court records show Crouse denied Smith's request at an April 16 hearing.
The judge also set a status conference for April 30. Past court filings showed Smith and co-defendant William Whymark, the former IT director for Saint Francis, are negotiating a plea deal.
The two are accused of defrauding Saint Francis, the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, of at least $4.7 million.
Saint Francis hired Smith, who had been ordained as an Episcopal priest by the Diocese of Chicago, as president and CEO in 2014. Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of misconduct by Smith and Whymark shortly after they left Saint Francis in November 2020.
Internal and external audits revealed excessive billing for IT services and charges by Smith for lavish personal expenses.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Premiers Smith, Moe disappointed by Trump's tariffs but most exports remain duty-free
REGINA - The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan say they're disappointed by higher tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump but pleased the majority of their exports won't face duties. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement remains in place, allowing 95 per cent of his province's exports to move into the United States tariff-free. He says the agreement staying in effect is very significant and provides Canada with an advantage over other countries facing steeper levies. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the vast majority of her province's products also remain tariff-free, because they also fall under the agreement. Trump followed through late Thursday on his threat to hit Canada with 35 per cent tariffs — up from 25 per cent — on goods not compliant with the trade agreement. Tariffs of 50 per cent remain in effect on steel and some copper products, and levies on Canadian automobiles and lumber are also in place. U.S. Census Bureau data shows nearly 60 per cent of Canadian goods that entered the country in May were complaint with the agreement. Smith says it's unfortunate non-compliant goods will be hit with the higher tariffs. 'These tariffs hurt both Canadian and American businesses and workers, and they weaken one of the most important trade and security alliances in the world,' she said in a social media post Friday. 'I remain convinced that the path to a positive resolution with our U.S. partners lies in strong, consistent diplomacy and a commitment to working in good faith toward shared priorities.' Prime Minister Mark Carney's countermeasures of 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion in U.S. goods remain in effect. Moe said Carney should refrain from imposing additional retaliatory measures. He also said Ottawa needs to cut regulations to spur pipeline and rail development. 'There is much more that Canada can do to control our own economic destiny, but the federal government must remove barriers to growth in order to make that happen,' Moe said in a statement. Smith said Carney should continue negotiating with Trump, while working toward diversifying the country's economy. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Business Wire
4 hours ago
- Business Wire
BioConsortia Closes Financing to Accelerate Launch of Next-Generation Nitrogen-Fixing Biofertilizer and Fuel Global Expansion
BUSINESS WIRE)--BioConsortia, Inc., a leader in microbial innovation for sustainable agriculture, announced today it has secured $15 million in funding from its long-standing internal investors, led by Otter Capital and affiliated funds. 'This investment, one in a series of recurring financings from our internal investors, reflects their deep confidence in BioConsortia's science, strategy, and commercial momentum,' said Marcus Meadows-Smith, BioConsortia's CEO. 'Their investments total $95 million and bring BioConsortia to this exciting moment in the company's history.' The new funding will accelerate the global launch of Always-N™, BioConsortia's groundbreaking nitrogen-fixing seed treatment for industrial corn and support continued expansion of its discovery and development engine at the company's Davis, California headquarters. Always-N enables farmers to maintain crop yields while reducing reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers—significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health. Applied as a seed treatment, Always-N delivers consistent field performance and is the only nitrogen-fixing biofertilizer combining advanced gene editing and extended viability exceeding two years. "Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are essential to modern agriculture, but their overuse comes at a steep environmental cost,' said Meadows-Smith. 'With Always-N, we offer a powerful, sustainable alternative—backed by cutting-edge science and built for real-world performance.' Roughly half of applied synthetic nitrogen is never absorbed by crops. Instead, it runs off into waterways or is broken down in soil, releasing nitrous oxide—a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than CO₂. As regulatory and market pressure builds for climate-smart farming, demand for sustainable alternatives like Always-N is growing rapidly. Following its successful commercial debut in New Zealand in 2024, Always-N is now preparing for broader market entry, supported by key global partners including The Mosaic Company in row crops in the Americas. The new funding enables BioConsortia to scale manufacturing, build inventory, and expand market access in anticipation of the upcoming growing season. Always-N is powered by BioConsortia's discovery and development platform - an integrated engine using proprietary tools for microbial discovery, selection, and optimization. It begins with Advanced Microbial Selection™ (AMS) to identify high-performing plant-associated microbes, then uses GenExpress™ and GenePro™ tools to enhance traits such as nitrogen fixation, disease and pest control, and shelf-life. In addition to Always-N™, BioConsortia is advancing a robust pipeline of next-generation biostimulants, fungicides, nematicides, and insecticides—engineered for extended shelf life, ease of use, and superior field efficacy. Since its founding in 2014, BioConsortia has validated its platform across diverse crops, geographies, and soil types. Field trials have consistently demonstrated the efficacy of its microbial biofertilizers, fungicides, nematicides, and insecticides—delivering growers new tools for sustainable, high-yield farming. About BioConsortia At BioConsortia, we are pioneering the next generation of agricultural biologicals through cutting-edge microbial gene editing. Our breakthroughs in editing only the most stable microbes unlock unprecedented performance in nitrogen fixation, biocontrol, and biostimulants—delivering solutions that are more effective, more consistent, and easier to use than anything on the market today. By precisely enhancing natural microbial traits, we're creating products that outperform both traditional chemicals and first-generation biologicals—with longer shelf life, extended life on seed, robust field efficacy, and compatibility with existing farm systems. Our AMS platform supports rapid discovery and development of superior wild type microbial products, and our gene-edited innovations redefine what's possible in sustainable agriculture. Since its founding in 2014, BioConsortia has built a reputation for delivering science-driven, field-proven solutions across a wide range of crops, geographies, and growing conditions. Today, the company stands at the forefront of the agricultural biologicals revolution—offering farmers the tools to grow more with less, and do so sustainably.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Cowboys' handling of Micah Parsons offers a contrast in how NFC East rivals operate
According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, the relationship between Micah Parsons and the Cowboys has deteriorated to the point where the pass rusher could request a trade The NFL offers potential for hypotheticals and what-ifs daily, and the latest example is the handling of Micah Parsons' contract status in Dallas. Parsons has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL since being selected by the Dallas Cowboys two spots behind DeVonta Smith (Eagles) in the 2021 NFL draft. Since departing Penn State, Parsons, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, has developed into a four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher and is annually among the NFL defensive player of the year favorites. Had Philadelphia selected Parsons in the 2021 NFL draft, Howie Roseman would have signed him to a five-year deal worth a maximum of $150 million with $87.5 million guaranteed, similar to what the New York Giants did for Brian Burns. Smith, the Eagles' first-round draft pick in 2021, and the Eagles quickly agreed to terms on a three-year, $75 million contract extension that keeps him in Philadelphia through the 2028 season. The team announced the deal and exercised Smith's fifth-year option for the 2025 season. Howie Roseman was able to keep a building block happy, while Smith's first payout from the extension won't start until 2026. It'll be a bargain with nine wide receivers in the NFL making $30+ million per season, and Smith as the 13th highest paid player at his position according to Over The Cap. Hypotheticals don't matter, and in this case, Micah Parsons is in Dallas and going through contentious contract negotiations, according to Diana Russini of The Athletic. The relationship between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys has deteriorated to the point where the star pass rusher is considering drastic measures, which could include a trade request or even a declaration that he is severing his relationship with the team, according to a league source familiar with the situation. The two sides remain far apart heading into the second week of training camp and are not currently negotiating. Since 2019, Ezekiel Elliott, Zack Martin, and CeeDee Lamb all staged holdouts, while Dak Prescott didn't sign his most recent contract extension until hours before kickoff of the season opener last September. In Philadelphia, Jalen Hurts has been extended, Saquon Barkley signed a huge deal, and then signed another extension. At the same time, A.J. Brown has been extended twice since being traded to Philadelphia in 2022. Every starter on the Eagles' offensive line, except Tyler Steen, is among the highest paid at their positions and blessed with extensions early on in the process. Lane Johnson has signed two extensions in the past three years, while Jalen Carter will be extension eligible following this season, and he'll quickly become one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL without any ugly moments or media theatrics from the owner or general manager.
