CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather is asking the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to look into the reports of “alleged financial irregularities” involving transactions within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
The DA’s office sent a statement on Friday about the request. It comes after Channel 9 reported on a dispute going on between CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill and some CMS Board of Education members.
On Thursday, Channel 9 obtained a lengthy report from Hill alleging extortion, cronyism, and misspending by the board and its chair, Stephanie Sneed. The questionable contract allegations center around a well-known community activist and the former CMS Executive in Residence, Raki McGregor.
Hill questioned why outside law firm Poyner Spruill, which was hired by the Board, entered into a contract with McGregor’s company Qonnect for advisory services for the At Home in CMS project, which was at one time being overseen by McGregor. McGregor, through Qonnect, was being paid $30,000. It was billed to CMS.
Hill said all of this was a mystery to her. “I do not know how, why, or when this program was turned over to Poyner Spruill, Chair Sneed and Raki McGregor,” she said in her memo.
Hill said other Board members appeared in the dark about McGregor’s involvement as well.
In Merriweather’s letter to the NC SBI, he’s asking to initiate a “criminal investigation” into financial irregularities involving CMS beginning in fiscal year 2026 and into fiscal year 2027, specifically potential violations of NC General Statute 159-181.
The SBI said in a statement to Channel 9 that it couldn’t confirm or deny whether it was investigating CMS.
Hill also says that district leaders threatened to make serious accusations against her publicly unless she resigned.
Some school board members denied the accusations and confirmed that the findings of an internal investigation into Hill will be disclosed soon.
CMS School Board Vice Chair Dee Rankin pushed back against the claim when asked about the memo’s wording.
“I’m not for sure what she is referring to, but that is not behavior that this board has participated in. So, she can have her feelings, but as of right now that’s not what we participate in as a board,” Rankin said.
This is a developing story, watch Eyewitness News at 5 p.m. and check back on WSOCTV.com for updates.
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