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| Oren Paris III, DMin, is now at the Marion, Illinois Prison Camp. Arkansas state lawmakers gave him enormous grants in return for "consultant fees." |
MARION, Ill. (KNWA) -- Oren Paris III, former president of Ecclesia College, reported to federal prison Wednesday.
Paris checked into Marion, Illinois Minimum Security Prison Camp at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Paris was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud charges involving a kickback scheme that diverted funds to Ecclesia from the state's general improvement fund.
He will also have to pay more than $600,000 in restitution.
His co-conspirators, former state senator Jon Woods and consultant Randell Shelton, were also convicted. They both reported to prisons in Texas earlier this month.
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GJ - This is my last post on the Ecclesia College scandal in Arkansas, unless Oren wins a free pass because the FBI agent erased some evidence.
The Paris family was uniquely unqualified to run a college, especially when they devoured so much income for themselves. No one had the academic qualifications or experience in higher education.
I did not know about the fraud when I left, but I knew they were not being responsible with the funds. Higher education is big money. A college can get $30,000 for a year of room, board, and tuition. Only 100 students will generate $3 million. At Ecclesia, that money came from the families, Arkansas lottery money, and student loans.
Oren was always looking for an easy buck, and he loved being involved in state politics. The politicians needed a cause to fund so they could be "consultants" for directing their money. So the easy buck found Oren. Everything was kept a secret, even from the inbred board.
Oren admitted that he knew it was wrong from the start, but he entered a pleas of not-guilty until his trial came up. Contrition and confession came only at sentencing.
