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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

“I AND STEVE ARE 2 OF THE FIVE.” Was Grand Traverse Academy Board President Brad Habermehl In Secret Business Partnership With Convicted Felon Steven Ingersoll, Or Was He Really Trying To Help “Friend And Colleague” Ingersoll Get His Hands On $300,000? In November 2014, Habermehl Solicited Private “Loan” On Behalf Of An Ingersoll-Linked Private School Project For Students Who “Struggle In Reading And Comprehension”. Even After Ingersoll's March 10, 2015 Federal Fraud Conviction, Habermehl Still Pitched Potential Project A “Very Good Investment With A Good Return”. Habermehl's Testimony Reveals Former LSSU Charter Office Head Bruce Harger Was Mysterious “Investor” Cited In Email. Shocking Emails Straight From The Courtoom, Only From Miss Fortune!

BOMBSHELL! THE FAÇADE SLIPS: FORMERLY SECRET HABERMEHL/INGERSOLL EMAILS ENTERED INTO EVIDENCE!

As President of the Grand Traverse Academy Board of Directors, Flint area optometrist Bradley Habermehl took an oath of office, assuming a fiduciary responsibility for the finances of the public school academy.

And as the Board’s de facto spokesperson, Habermehl was the public face of the Traverse City charter school during the months-long Steven Ingersoll fraud scandal.

However, this morning the government entered into evidence a series of shocking emails between Ingersoll, Habermehl and a business associate of Habermehl's (beginning in November 2014, and continuing well after Ingersoll's federal fraud conviction) that revealed Habermehl solicited a $300,000 investment “loan” from his associate for what Habermehl described as a potential “private school” project on behalf of his “friend and colleague” Steven Ingersoll — with Habermehl only later admitting to his associate that he was also one of the prospective project's five partners.


Bruce Harger
Grilled by the prosecution regarding the names of the other three potential “investors”, Habermehl initially claimed he “could not recall” before revealing the partner described in a March 15, 2015 email as having “just retired from Lake Superior State University” was Bruce Harger, who'd formerly served as the Director and of LSSU's charter schools office. (Harger's LinkedIn profile indicates he served three years as Director of the Charter School Office, followed by three years as its part-tme Deputy Director. Harger left LSSU in September 2015.)

Further testimony revealed that Ingersoll put up his Bay City B&B, the Webster House, as collateral for the proposed $300,000 loan. One email written by Ingersoll to Habermehl revealed that Ingersoll claimed the property was “recently valued at $1.1mm, will be pledged as collateral in the event of a default.”

However, further testimony revealed that Ingersoll's presentence report asset list valued the same property at well under $200,000.

More details later on this breaking story, including Brad Habermehl's history of conflicting statements!

Will he resign from the Grand Traverse Academy Board of Directors? One board member already questioning legal fees for Habermehl's October testimony; wait until the next bill drops!




So...who are the other two?


20 comments:

  1. Wow! What can we all say as this nightmare unfolds! Can't wait 'til even more truth comes out.
    Thank you, Miss Fortune, for all your diligence and efforts in bringing light on all this darkness. You are doing the public a tremendous service and we all hope you get rewarded for all your efforts.

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  2. So all these guys are in on the scam, but didn't we always know that. No wonder LSSU keeps approving the charters for these two schools, these guys are going into business together to get even more money from the government and tax payers. I can not wait to see what else is uncovered.
    The board members need to be charged with negligence of their duties, LSSU needs to be held accountable for underhandedly chartering these schools and profiting from it, and the owners of the for-profit businesses running the schools need to have complete forensic reports done.

    Letting these individuals take advantage of the government, taxpayers, and most importantly children and teachers needs to stop. It is time to make these individuals an example to other charter schools in Michigan and the country. We need to get laws passed to make these schools abide by the same laws as any other public schools has to follow. I am sure there are other charter schools that are doing the right thing, BUT these bad boys just found a way to rip off the government and are making plans to do it again, lovely. This truly isn't chump change, this is big money

    I am all ears Miss Fortune, thank you for your excellent reporting and keeping us informed, you are truly amazing!

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    1. Amen! You hit so many excellent points. There should be an investigation of all universities and other entities that are granting charters to these public funded yet privately owned charter schools. Michigan and other states need to make laws where any conflicts of interest by individuals who work at the sponsoring schools need to be addressed. Then the individuals need to immediately remove themselves from any association where they could personally benefit financially; this should be retroactive. I bet LSSU is no longer happy that they had and maybe still have employees who had or have a personal stake in what should be an objective business. LSSU, you may have just become a new poster child for educational negligence and corruption. May your future enrollment figures reflect on your deeds as some of your departmental leadership was what many people could easily view as an assesory to negligence, corruption and fraud.

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    2. Isn't it interesting that Mr. Ingersoll says the Webster House B & B is valued at $1.1 million while he had Roy Bradley pay workers who did grunt work $250 for 50 or more hours worth of work each week? Significantly below the minimum wage and poverty level. With that wage, a person who worked his fingers to the bone would need a whole week's wages to pay for one night at the B & B. It seems without a question that Mr. Ingersoll was indeed trying to get rich on the backs of everyone - day laborers, construction workers, teachers, taxpayers, and any one else who would have the misfortune of crossing his path or dealing with him. May he get exactly what he deserves...as one of his underpaid workers perfectly said: "He'll be getting 25 cents an hour in prison."

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  3. Now we know why LSSU was willing to look the other way while Ingersoll and friends robbed the taxpayers. The school board regulates the manager ... except the president of the school board is in cahoots with the manager. The authorizer regulates the school board, but wait ... he's in business with both of them. Better to retire and keep quiet about it, maybe no one will notice ...

    Absolutely disgusting.

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    1. Hopefully, further investigation by the Michigan Department of Education, Federal Department of Education, and let's not forget our friends and seekers of justice at the FBI will wipe that nice smile of Mr. Harger's face and his colleagues faces too.

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    2. Maybe the students were struggling with reading and comphrension because they had Ingersoll's "IVL" curriculum and he had a 'vision' to get more money that he needed for his and his family's /colleagues' defense?

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  4. Once again, as the truth continues to unfold with these idiots, we are witnessing the potential in how far this corruption truly went. It almost reminds me of a Mob family mentality regarding how they all cover each other's back, provide financial favors, etc..

    There's no doubt in my mind that this Noss character has A LOT more information than whats coming to the table. Very very shady, to say the least.

    Id be BLOWN AWAY if the state doesn't shut down BCA. What a mess.

    What teacher would EVER want to work in an environment like this?

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    1. Many teachers simply haven't found another place to teach yet. It's not for lack of trying.

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    2. Some teachers didn't/wouldn't know how bad the background of the BCA is. And they still believe they have something to give to the world and truly help children; all this inspite of the soon-to-be discovered BCA toxic environment. We can only wish them the best while they try to help students and look for a different work environment.

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  5. BCA and NCA are both run by a New management company....HA! The guy Bryan Lynch that is the management company was the super... Now he is still the super while the principal of NCA has the title. He is at NCA often..... A management company doesn't belong in the school.

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  6. Miss Fortune, thank you so much for pointing out "I and Steve" part. We can make a deal: you call the "Grammar Police" and I'll call the regular "Police". Then, someone can call the Feds to really scutinize all things GTA, their board and its leadership, past and present! It will be interesting. I guess Mr. Habermehl didn't want to say "Steve and I" because it would appear that "Steve" was the main one in that scheme. We all know, of course, that they all were/are guilty, some maybe more than others.

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    1. Oops... I meant to type 'scrutinize'. Thank you for letting the misspelling be corrected afterwards. We must be vigilant at the local office of the National Asssociation of Grammar Police!

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  7. And let's not forget that Mr. Habermehl should have written the entire word out in "two of the five" (not 2 of the five).
    Faithfully edited by the National Association of Grammar Police.

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  8. There is no doubt about it, those teachers are looking everyday to get the hell out of BCA. I'd put my money on that bet.

    This new management company created out of thin air is a complete joke. Just another reason to shut it down. If I was the state, I'd be all over this Mitten Management Co. like my life depended on it. I'll bet so many things are not being done correctly at BCA and their northern campus. Compliance fines left and right for this screwed up management company will continue to happen until they are shut down for good.

    As far as this NCA principal having the "title" of superintendent, I wonder what his pay is? I'll bet it's half of what the former superintendent made and there's no doubt in my mind that it was "created" to satisfy legal ramifications for Cleland becoming a convicted stalker and losing that title. I feel bad for this person as the are stuck in the middle of this crap.

    All of this needs to hit the news......a 60 Minutes special on this mess would be amazing.

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    1. 60 Minutes would be great, but with this HUGE mess, it would take several episodes and maybe even months of 48 Hours to reveal all the irregularities!

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  9. This is what Brian Lynch's Facebook says about his job....
    My main objective as CEO of Mitten Educational Management is to oversee Bay City Academy and North Central Academy to ensure effective operation of the entire school district. Our district includes two schools, three buildings, 3 principals, and over 450 students. As the chief executive officer, it is my responsibility to regulate compliance and financial initiatives, maintain adequate school records, hire and train staff, represent the schools as a community liaison, mentor teachers and principals, and develop the short-range and long-range plans that match Board objectives. I personally oversee the instruction methods used by our educators and work to institute a unified curriculum based on visual learning principals to make sure all of our students receive a quality education.

    Now, Come on when you have a 1st and 2nd grade class with 30 some kids with one teacher and no help, that is a problem. When you have Spanish classes that have no teacher and the rosetta stone program didn't work nor does the internet on both days, Houston we have problems. The elementary side has no core reading program and there is no money for curriculum or supplies, There are a ton of problems. The need in NCA is huge and training is not adequate. Just so you know!

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    1. If you're quoting exactly from Lynch's facebook and he wrote "visual learning pricipals" instead of "visual learning principles", he may need a spelling tutor and some more personal "IVL" therapy? Or maybe he was right by saying "visual learning principals"...afterall the school is looking where the principals actually are. They're not there much of the time, are they? The school is learning to function without them physically present. It seems Lynch's first-range plan is to wait "until this deficit all blows over" and his long-range plan is how is the school district with three buildings is going to operate when Ingersoll is in jail, while /when the Feds seize all his properties and what to do with a 20-year non-cancelable lease on the Madison Arts building. What do you think?

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  10. Wait, how in the @@$& can a school run like this? This Spanish situation sounds like a complete joke!!!! What a waist of a so-called education for these kids.

    How can this Lynch guy even say that this is a quality situation for the staff and students?

    I guess when a lot of money and greed is involved, kids and staff come second. I'll bet calling OSHA on this place would cause it to shut down.

    And to top all of that off, no curriculum in reading and literacy? No Supplies?! This completely leaves the staff in such stress.

    I've got an idea, let's open up a bakery with no cooking supplies, no kitchen utensils, no flower and not enough employees and I'll charge a 20k per month fee to "manage" it.

    This is unbelievable.

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