Former Goodyear school employee facing prison following guilty plea

PHOENIX — A former Goodyear school employee has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for his role in falsifying student enrollment figures at the now-closed Bradley Academy of Excellence.

According to a press release from Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office, Harold Cadiz contributed to Bradley Academy’s false reporting of about 191 fake students to the Arizona Department of Education during the 2016-2017 school year, a figure which increased to roughly 453 the following year.

It is estimated that the falsified enrollment data resulted in a $2.2 million loss to the Arizona Department of Education.

The school’s inaccurate reporting was preceded by low enrollment figures that would have resulted in a reduction in state funding.

The Bradley Academy closed suddenly in January 2018 ahead of an audit from the Arizona Department of Education.

Ahead of the audit, Cadiz attempted to cover up the false enrollment figures by manufacturing fake documents that included photoshopped student birth certificates, parents’ driver licenses, and student records.

Daniel Hughes, the Chairman and Director of the Bradley Academy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and theft in November 2018, and a current case is currently ongoing against a third individual, Joann Vega.

Cadiz is facing between 3 and 12 1/2 years in prison.

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