FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — The former chief financial officer (CFO) of Indian River State College (IRSC) is suing the college, its president, and every member of its Board of Trustees, alleging whistleblower retaliation, breach of contract, and defamation — and backing up his claims with text messages he says show top leadership acknowledging fraud and financial mismanagement.
Marvin Pyles, who served as IRSC’s vice president of administration and finance and CFO from April 2021 until April 2024, filed the lawsuit last week in St. Lucie County Circuit Court. The complaint seeks damages exceeding $50,000 per count, reinstatement, back pay, and a jury trial.
According to the verified complaint, Pyles says he repeatedly raised concerns about fraud, gross mismanagement, and the misuse of taxpayer and donor funds — including allegations that state-funded nursing grants were improperly funneled into the IRSC Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity.
The lawsuit alleges those disclosures triggered retaliation rather than corrective action.
Pyles says his employment was abruptly terminated on April 19, 2024, despite what the complaint describes as strong performance reviews and no disciplinary history. The stated reason for his firing, according to the lawsuit, was termination “for convenience.”
The complaint claims that explanation was pretextual and that Pyles was fired because he continued pressing college leadership and trustees about...
What FDA-Regulated Companies Should Take Away (Beyond the Headline) On January 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that False Claims Act (FCA) settlements and judgments for Fiscal Y...