Former WUSA9 news personality, J.C. Hayward. (Twitter Photo)
(Updated August 13, 2015) The Washington area’s longest-serving female news anchor has been cleared of allegations of misusing funds from Options Public Charter School in Northeast D.C.
J.C. Hayward, former WUSA9 news personality, was dismissed by the D.C. Office of the Attorney General on Aug. 11.
According to WUSA9, Hayward and the charter school agreed to dismiss all claims, but required Hayward to pay back $8,500 to the school, which is allegedly the total amount of funds she received.
“Ms. Hayward has always disputed these claims from the beginning and has professed her profound commitment to helping at-risk young people in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area,” according to a statement released from her lawyer, Jeffrey S. Jacobovitz.
Hayward has dealt with the legal battle since 2013, when she was accused of aiding three managers and a board chairman in a scam which involved the creation of two for-profit companies that provided services to the school at inflated prices, as reported by the Washington Post.
According to WUSA9, even though Hayward has been dismissed from the civil lawsuit, the settlement between both parties does not admit guilt nor offer exoneration.
WUSA9 reports that the Attorney General’s office said it will continue to pursue the case against the other defendants, including Options’ managers — Dr. Donna D. Montgomery, Dr. David Cranford, and Paul S. Dalton – and Jeremy L. Williams, former chief financial officer of the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board, who are accused of mishandling $2.8 million of taxpayer funds.
“She is now in the process of setting up a scholarship endowment in perpetuity for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington,” the statement said. “Ms. Hayward is delighted that she will be able to leave a lasting legacy. This lawsuit closes a small chapter in her life.”