Dive Brief:

• The former CFO of Indian River State College Marvin Pyles filed a civil suit against the school, its President Timothy Moore and its board of trustees alleging whistleblower retaliation, defamation and breach of contract by his former employer. Pyles served as CFO and VP of administration and finance at the college from April 2021 before his employment was terminated “for convenience” on April 19, 2024.
• The suit, filed Feb. 25 in Florida’s St. Lucie County Circuit Court, alleges Pyles’ employment at the Fort Pierce, Florida.-based institution was terminated in retaliation for raising concerns about misuse of funds.
• In a press release on the suit shared with CFO Dive, Pyles cites messages, including screenshots of texts, between the former CFO and IRSC President Moore detailing the mismanagement. “When I landed as the CFO, I discovered that it was a financial mess,” Pyles told CFO Dive regarding the suit, noting the college had been operating in the red for years. During his tenure as CFO, he uncovered millions in fraud — described as a “$75 million mismanagement scheme,” according to one text message exchange cited in the release — including false vendors and purchase orders and improper management of donor funds, he said.

Dive Insight:

The complaint alleges numerous instances of fraud which Pyles disclosed to IRSC leadership, including the board of trustees — appointed by the governor of Florida — President Moore, and other members of the school’s...

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