April 18, 2025 | Houston, TX
In a major development in one of Houston’s largest public corruption cases, a federal jury on Thursday found former Houston Independent School District (HISD) Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and contractor Anthony Hutchison guilty on all counts of bribery, fraud, and related charges.
The verdict caps a four-week trial that exposed a complex, years-long scheme in which Busby and Hutchison conspired to defraud HISD of approximately $7 million through inflated contracts and kickbacks. The jury convicted both men of conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery involving federal funds, tax fraud, and witness tampering.
According to federal prosecutors, Hutchison submitted inflated invoices for work not performed, while Busby approved the payments and received kickbacks in return. Evidence presented during trial included a handwritten ledger allegedly documenting bribe payments and testimony from former HISD officials who admitted to participating in the scheme.
Busby, who began his HISD career as a janitor and rose to COO over two decades, took the stand in his own defense, denying that he ever accepted bribes and characterizing his relationship with Hutchison as strictly professional. The jury, however, was not persuaded.
“This verdict sends a strong message that public corruption will not be tolerated,” said federal prosecutors following the verdict.
Busby and Hutchison remain free on bond until their sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for July. They each face up to 20 years in federal prison for the most serious charges.
The scandal has rocked HISD, raising concerns about oversight, transparency, and corruption within the largest school district in Texas. District officials have pledged to implement new safeguards to prevent similar abuses in the future.
More updates are expected as the sentencing phase approaches.