Latest news with #Brentwood-based
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stockard on the Stump: Tennessee tax refund boosts private prison operator
CoreCivic, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the state's biggest donors to lawmakers, scored a recent tax refund from Tennessee. (Photo: John Partipilo) Tennessee's private-prison operator lost nearly $45 million in state payments over three years for failing to meet contractual requirements, but it's landing a nice windfall as part of the state's business tax cut deal. Newly-released records show Brentwood-based CoreCivic Inc. and its affiliate CoreCivic TRS LLC & Subs each received refunds of more than $10,000 for three years of tax rebates after lawmakers approved an estimated $1.9 billion franchise and excise tax reduction in 2024. Because of the wide range for payouts, the public will never be able to find out exactly how much the state returned to CoreCivic or 16,000 other companies, many of them based out of state, that received more than 10 grand each. Lawmakers approved categories of less than $750 for the list, between $750 and $10,000 and more than $10,000. CoreCivic is one of the state's biggest donors to lawmakers' biggest donors, as well, even though we know that legislators don't base their decisions on campaign contributions. At least that's what they tell us. Tennessee levied $44.78 million in penalties against private prison operator in three years Release of the lists in the past week has spurred a bit of debate about whether it is transparent enough, especially since it doesn't specify exact amounts refunded and will be up on the state's website for only 30 days. Aside from that argument and discussion about whether this tax break was a giveaway to make the rich richer, it shows that numerous business entities got what some might call the old double dip. Take, for instance, SmileDirectClub. The company landed a $300,000 grant from the state in 2017, then hit it big with $10 million from Tennessee in 2019 and the blessing of Gov. Bill Lee for a Nashville expansion. But the tooth-straightening company hit the skids and filed for bankruptcy in 2023, then closed up shop. Yet even though it's no longer operating, SmileDirect is drawing a refund in excess of $10,000 from the state. The list is long for companies receiving state grants over the last decade and now tax refunds. FedEx netted a $10 million grant for a $44 million investment in Shelby County in 2019, and Hankook Tire landed $6 million in 2022 for a $611 million project in Clarksville. And don't forget about Ford Motor Co., which received nearly a billion dollars worth of incentives for BlueOval City in West Tennessee and will draw a refund in excess of $10,000 under the new scheme (I mean law). Production at the electric truck plant is running more than a year behind schedule mainly because of concerns about the EV industry. World's top businesses, Lee Company receive biggest Tennessee tax rebates The debate centers on whether this stuff is creating a business-friendlier state, putting Tennessee in the midst of economic recruiting wars or simply donating to corporate welfare. The conservative Beacon Center puts out an annual Pork Report declaring the state's biggest winners of government largesse. In December, it asked people to weigh in last year on three finalists: Memphis Area Transit Authority spending tens of millions on Grizzlies suites and a downtown office; Lebanon City Council approval of a $1.5 million for an unnamed restaurant; and the $2.3 billion from state and local taxpayers for a new Titans stadium at the same time $80,000 is going toward the old stadium. Axing of the franchise tax on business property didn't make the cut. But if that's not a giveaway, what is? After all, these companies knew the rules when they started, and a letter to the state by businesses challenging the constitutionality of the franchise tax on property could be considered a form of extortion. One lawmaker said this week if you consider the money as belonging to the businesses and then being turned over to the government in the form of taxes, then it's not a giveaway. That begs the question, though, what about the sales taxes millions of people pay every time they buy a package of bacon? Where's the love for the little people? To which some might say, 'What's love got to do with it?' Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn failed to list a new company called New Horizon BluePrint Group on her federal disclosure form, then dissolved it shortly before the U.S. Senate took up the confirmation hearing for her appointment as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Records show she started the business, a Florida LLC, with Donald Fennoy, former director of the Palm Beach County School District in Florida, in February, after President Donald Trump nominated her for the post. Schwinn's sister took over the company in late March, before it was dissolved, raising questions about the timing. Typically, folks don't start businesses after they've been nominated for federal jobs, and they don't forget to put them on their conflict of interest disclosure form either. The74, an online education publication, reported the failure to disclose the business – which never really came to fruition – might cause Schwinn problems in her Thursday hearing. Former Tennessee education leader promises feds she will cut conflicts But that would be the least of her problems, if the Senate looks at her history and not just her work resume. She spent most of her time Thursday bragging about gains Tennessee students made during her tenure. But Schwinn had some hiccups too during her time here working for Gov. Bill Lee. The Tennessee Department of Education signed an $8 million contract in 2021 with TNTP, a teacher training company that employed her husband. She had to sign an ethics agreement promising not to discuss TNTP stuff with him. Lawmakers also passed legislation removing the education commissioner from the textbook approval process because they felt Schwinn was directing business to favored companies. In addition, the Education Department saw an exodus of experienced people during her tenure. This list could continue. Not that anyone in Washington, D.C. cares much about conflicts of interest or questionable business dealings. Those are status quo. But at some point, the public will rebel against this type of corruption and put someone else in charge of lining pockets. Chip Saltsman sparked speculation about the political future of House Speaker Cameron Sexton this week when he posted a photo of a Crossville video shoot and said people should 'stay tuned' for a 'big announcement coming.' Does this mean Sexton is leaving Nashville and moving back home to Cumberland County? It's possible. More than likely, Sexton will be announcing his intentions to run for Congress to replace U.S. Rep. John Rose, who is running for governor. The Lookout asked Sexton more than a year ago if he was considering a run for the District 6 seat. His response was that Rose held the post. At that press conference, other House Republican leaders laughed and wondered why they weren't being asked the same question. Probably because nobody cares? Recently, though, state Rep. Johnny Garrett of Goodlettsville said he was considering seeking the District 6 seat. We haven't heard much about it since then. Come to think of it, we haven't seen much out of Rose, either, since the bitterly cold day he announced he was running for governor. Whatever the case, we'll be staying up nights to monitor X (formerly Twitter) to see Sexton's forthcoming pronouncement. It could cause a bigger ripple effect than the time the Mississippi ran backwards. 'Take me to the river, drop me in the water / Washing me down, washing me down.' * *'Take Me to the River,' Talking Heads SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
CoreCivic inmate sues Trousdale Turner prison staff over alleged extortion
An inmate at CoreCivic's Trousdale Turner prison in Tennessee is suing prison administrators for allowing gang members to assault him. (Photo: Kansas Reflector) A Trousdale Turner Correction Center inmate serving time at a privately-run prison in Tennessee is suing the warden and staff for allowing gang members to assault him and extort money from his mother. Filed in May in U.S. District Court in Nashville, the lawsuit claims gang members at the CoreCivic prison in Trousdale County threatened to assault inmate Charles Anderson if his mother and two family friends didn't send them money, then beat and sexually assaulted him anyway after he complained to prison staff. Trousdale Turner already faces a federal civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for gang violence and murders. The lawsuit names prison warden Vince Vantell, assistant warden Keith Huggins, investigator Robert Fohrd and a sergeant at the facility, which is run by the Brentwood-based prison operator under contract with the state of Tennessee. U.S. Department of Justice opens investigation into CoreCivic Trousdale County prison The filing says almost as soon as Anderson was transferred to Trousdale Turner in October 2023, he became the repeated victim of violence, with gang members stealing his property and threatening and inflicting violence on him. Gang members ordered him to buy back the stolen items in a well-known prison extortion scheme, according to the filing. Anderson then instructed his elderly mother to pay gang members' affiliates outside the prison through mobile methods or a 'green dot' card or else he would be severely harmed or killed. Gang members armed with shanks forced him to call his mother and ordered him to tell her to make payments between $40 and $150. 'These calls were placed from (Trousdale Turner Correctional Center) lines and presumably monitored by staff at TTCC,' the filing says. When the inmate's mother couldn't afford to make the payments, he asked two family friends for 'protection' payments to 'preserve his life.' The family friends told Fohrd about the extortion and threats, yet the staff member did 'nothing' meaningful to intervene or put Anderson in protective custody, the filing says. In May 2024, the family friend sent multiple emails to the warden's office about the 'incessant' extortion, and at one point a prison official told the friend they were 'committed' to placing him in protective custody. Yet in June 2024, Anderson was assaulted again, and in October 2024, he was sexually assaulted by at least four gang members with a broom handle. They claimed he owed them $1,000 for 'debt.' No staff members intervened, the filing says. The victim received treatment at Nashville General Hospital in October, but when he returned to the prison, gang members attacked him again and poured 'scalding hot water' on his face as he slept. Despite receiving medical treatment, he wasn't placed in protective custody and was attacked again and threatened if he didn't perform sexual favors for the gang members, which he refused to do, according to the filing. A corrections officer recommended he be put in protective custody, and staff reviewed the request. After repeated complaints and a request to file a Prison Rape Elimination Act complaint, Anderson met with prison officials when Vantell told him it was 'okay if he was gay.' Anderson replied that he wasn't. 'This interaction was an attempt to cover-up the rape as a consensual act and escape liability for the defendants' acts and omissions,' the filing says. The defendants denied his requests for protective custody, alleging he 'was not honest about why he needed protective custody' and 'became argumentative with the board' of prison officials. In December 2024, Fohrd spoke with the inmate's mother and told her to pay the gang members 'one more time' to buy back his property and he would be put into protective custody. The filing says the phone call was made in the presence of Anderson and gang members. 'Because the defendants failed to stop gang violence and extortion directed towards Mr. Anderson and his family, the violence and extortion continues, without reprieve, even to present,' the filing says. Since last October, the victim has received multiple disciplinary write-ups for refusing his cell assignment, because he believes 'segregation' is the only way to be protected from 'constant gang violence,' according to the filing. Yet he remains in the general population. Vantell resigned as warden in April after being placed on involuntary administrative leave amid the Department of Justice investigation into inmate physical and sexual violence, as well as understaffing at Trousdale Turner. The plaintiffs are represented by Moseley & Moseley Attorneys in Murfreesboro and Leanne Thorne in Lexington, Tennessee. A CoreCivic spokesman said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation but added that 'the safety and well-being of every person in our care is a top priority for our leadership and the staff at our Trousdale Turner Correctional Center.' CoreCivic 5-22-25 SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stockard on the Stump: CoreCivic battles former consultant over ICE business
CoreCivic, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, is suing a consulting firm that was hired to pursue business for the private prison company. (Photo: John Partipilo) Tennessee's private prison operator is suing a consultant for $500 million for allegedly stealing a contract for non-detention services with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. CoreCivic, a Brentwood-based company that runs four Tennessee prisons, filed suit against Universal Strategic (US) Advisors this year, claiming it breached a deal to bring in business for CoreCivic by landing its own $73 million contract with ICE in March. The case was filed in Metro Nashville Circuit Court, but US Advisors is seeking removal. Wanting to expand its web beyond federal and state prison operations, CoreCivic hired US Advisors for $30,000 a month to help it ink an agreement with ICE to handle administrative work dealing with undocumented immigrants who are under federal supervision. The job involves people who are released from detention on humanitarian grounds, bond or parole, those waiting for removal after immigration proceedings or people classified as fugitives from ICE or should be removed for other reasons, according to the filing. The idea was to enable ICE agents to work the front lines amid increased deportations under the Trump administration with CoreCivic taking over personnel and administrative work such as checking records, collecting documents, answering phone calls, entering data and doing criminal history checks. CoreCivic signed a one-year contract with US Advisors and paid the company $1.56 million. But, according to the lawsuit, shortly after President Donald Trump was sworn in, the consulting firm notified CoreCivic in early February it was ending the contract in 30 days. Both companies hoped to take advantage of inside contacts. US Advisors' chief executive officer, Tim Robbins of Utah, had held numerous leadership jobs in ICE and was an old acquaintance of Bart Verhulst, vice president of federal relations for CoreCivic. He was privy to the CoreCivic's proprietary information and helped shape its plan to 'penetrate' the Department of Homeland Security market. CoreCivic contends Robbins was supposed to avoid conflicts of interest, and he helped CoreCivic submit a proposal to ICE in 2023 for case management services. It was re-submitted in August 2024 and January, and CoreCivic was told that ICE was interested in its proposal. But 'out of the blue,' on Feb. 9, CoreCivic received a letter from US Advisors terminating their agreement. In early March, 'much to its shock and dismay,' CoreCivic found out US Advisors and Robbins, while under contract, submitted their own proposal to ICE and then won the contract. Is there no honor among profiteers? Tennessee is using a vendor on shaky ground in other states to send out the money for its private-school voucher programs. The state has been contracting with Student First Technologies for two years, with an annual licensing fee of $695,000, for the Education Savings Accounts targeting low-income students in three counties and its Individualized Education Account program for special needs students, according to the Department of Education. The department executed an amendment to the contract in early April to launch the so-called Education Freedom Scholarships for up to 20,000 students, depositing money into students' online accounts to pay for tuition and other expenses at private schools, but not directly to parents. The legislature's Fiscal Review Committee approved the expansion in March at a cost of $625,000 for the initial buildout and launch. Despite Breakdowns in Two States, ESA Provider Student First Seeks to Expand Privatizing education isn't cheap. The newest iteration is costing north of $140 million annually, at least half of it going to students already enrolled in private schools, while the cost for ESAs could reach $25 million a year. Add the $1.3 million for disseminating money, and you're creating a cottage industry. The problem is that Student First Technologies promised West Virginia officials in September 2024 it wouldn't go after more business until it repaired glitches that caused more than 3,000 unfilled orders and forced parents to spend their own money for books, technological equipment and other services, according to a States Newsroom report. Besides those shortcomings, Student First lost a $15 million contract for an Arkansas voucher program when it couldn't do the job correctly. Tennessee and Student First have run into some of their own technical problems, but the company apparently has handled them. And instead of looking for another vendor, the state is doubling down with more work and a bigger contract. The state's relationship with Student First comes on the heels of a $2.5 million no-bid contract with Florida-based ClassWallet that used Career Ladder funds for teachers to pay the tab. Former Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, who is going for a deputy secretary position in the U.S. Department of Education, caught the ire of lawmakers when she inked the deal without taking bids. Which is worse, skipping the bidding process or sticking with a company facing lawsuits for shoddy work? It's a toss-up. Nashville Democrats are trying to recall Metro Councilman David Benton after his appearance with xenophobic U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in an anti-immigrant press conference at the State Capitol, on Memorial Day no less. While Ogles accused Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell of opposing President Trump's efforts to deport people without legal documentation, Democrats are peeved that Benton is backing the move to 'Stop the invasion.' Recalling a Metro Council member could be difficult. The last time it happened took place way back in 2009 when Nashville attorney Jamie Hollin defeated Pam Murray, who was tied up in turmoil over allowing mobile vendors on Cleveland Street. Aside from Democrats, the Metro Council's Immigrant Council also condemned Benton, saying his 'racist' propaganda is especially problematic because he represents a district with a large Latino population, which was targeted by ICE in a South Nashville roundup two weeks ago. Nashville immigrant caucus 5-29-25 Never mind that many of the people Ogles and his ilk want to deport are washing the dishes, cooking the food and changing the bed sheets for white-bread America. Also put out of your mind that a handful of state lawmakers, mainly from Williamson County, used the State Capitol on a federal holiday to conduct a publicity stunt inside the Old Supreme Court chambers on the first floor, which is controlled by the governor. According to one report, the event was moved abruptly into the Capitol because of the threat of rain. But a press release sent out on Friday, May 23, said it would be held in the Old Supreme Court. Did it rain that day? 'Now I will stand in the rain on the corner / I watch the people go shufflin' downtown.' * * 'Fool in the Rain,' Led Zeppelin SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal court rule in Middle TN barring lawyers from speaking publicly on cases scrapped
Lawyers trying cases before Middle Tennessee's federal district court can now speak on social media and to news media about their cases without fear, thanks to a May 15 ruling ending a lengthy court battle. Judges from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee removed a local court rule that previously prevented attorneys from discussing their cases with the media and the public. The change was the result of a lengthy federal lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit public interest law firm on behalf of Nashville civil rights attorney Daniel Horwitz in October 2024. 'This is a huge win for the First Amendment in Middle Tennessee,' Institute for Justice Attorney Jared McClain said. 'Attorneys have a right to discuss their cases, and the public has a right to know what the government and its contractors are doing wrong.' Horwitz filed the lawsuit after U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery Frensley issued a 2022 gag order barring Horwitz from speaking on social media and to news media against Brentwood-based private prison company CoreCivic. At the time the gag order was put in place, Horwitz served as the attorney for the family of Terry Childress, an inmate who died in February 2021 after his cellmate assaulted him in CoreCivic's Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville. The case was later settled. Since the order, Horwitz filed numerous lawsuits against the company, but was unable to discuss any of them with news media because of the rule. In January 2025, Horwitz's case was dismissed for lack of standing. But in April, amid an appeal, the court proposed a change to the administrative rule that would have expanded the circumstances in which a judge could restrict a lawyer's speech. More: Speech rights of lawyers in Nashville federal court could change amid gag order fight While the appeal decision is still before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the rule itself has been scrapped after the Institute for Justice submitted a public comment outlining the ways the proposed rule still violated the First Amendment. Now, the rule simply states that attorneys are bound by Tennessee's rules of professional conduct, which the Institute for Justice said 'was always the case.' 'I'm thrilled that my First Amendment rights have been vindicated, but more importantly, I'm thrilled that I can resume informing the public about civil rights abuses across Middle Tennessee,' Horwitz said. 'This important victory also would not have been possible without the dedicated civil rights lawyers at the Institute for Justice and Southeastern Legal Foundation, to whom I will always be grateful.' Ryan Gustin, senior director of public affairs at CoreCivic, said the company respects 'the judicial process in which amendments to local rules are reviewed and modified." "We also stand by our belief that matters involving litigation, and legal rules, policies and procedures should be decided within the court system and not in the press or social media,' he said. The ruling comes as a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice continues into the conditions at CoreCivic's Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, due to allegations of extensive understaffing, violence, contraband and sexual misconduct, according to officials. The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@ by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Middle Tennessee federal court rule on lawyers speaking out scrapped
NDTV
15-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
UK Woman Jailed For Stealing Over Rs 2 Crore From Employer To Fund Luxury Lifestyle
A 31-year-old woman who defrauded her employer of almost 200,000 pounds (approximately Rs 2.27 Crore) to buy holidays and luxury gifts has been jailed for five years and 10 months, the BBC reported. Anita Mirmohammadi, from North London, was caught after she started working at a Brentwood-based business as a manager in their finance team in 2018, entitling her to access to a business credit card. She used the company card and submitted fraudulent invoices to extract money from the firm. She was able to fund luxury purchases at Harrods, Selfridges and Mercedes Benz, as well as holidays to Mexico, Turkey and Dubai. According to the BBC, Ms Mirmohammadi was arrested at London Gatwick Airport after returning from Dubai in May 2022 - a trip paid for by cash taken from her employer in Brentwood. The 31-year-old, of no fixed address, was found guilty of fraud by false representation and sentenced on Friday. In a statement, Essex police said that Ms Mirmohammadi's company credit was used to fund regular spending on Apple, Amazon, eBay, Uber and Zara, as well as Thames Water and Harley Street Dental. In total, she siphoned 189,675 pounds from her company via its credit card and fraudulent invoices between 2018 and 2022, cops said. Her offending was uncovered when "a pattern of unexplained transactions" was discovered in the firm's accounts, Essex Police said. During sentencing, Judge Shane Collery said, "She (Ms Mirmohammadi) was not dependent on stealing to survive and her claim that she does care is hard to accept as she gave no thought to the consequences at all," as per SkyNews. "She is a selfish, self-obsessed woman who repeated regular dishonesty, which was systemic and sustained and she must have seen what she was doing," the judge added. Separately, Detective Constable Karen Venables said, "This sentence shows the severity of Mirmohmmadi's offending. This was a calculated, ongoing fraud that would have continued had she not been caught." "It was clear from the deception we found in these accounts that Mirmohammadi knew what she was doing was wrong and was trying to cover her tracks," the detective added. Officials are now working to identify the sum of Ms Mirmohammadi's offences so they can recover the money via the Proceeds of Crime Act. A confiscation hearing is scheduled for November at Basildon Crown Court.
