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Norman Shy To Forfeit Homes, Bank Accounts
Ronelle Grier | Contributing Writer
L
ocal businessman Norman Shy,
who pleaded guilty to federal
charges for his role in a massive
bribery and kickback scheme involv-
ing the Detroit Public Schools, has
been ordered to forfeit his $1 million-
plus Franklin home, a condominium
in Bloomfield Township and several
bank accounts. According to court
documents, U.S. District Judge Victoria
Roberts ordered the homes and bank
accounts be turned over to the federal
government.
In May, Shy, 74, appeared before
Roberts and pleaded guilty to con-
spiracy to commit federal program
bribery and federal income tax evasion
for failing to report income earned
during 2011. Now retired, Shy was the
owner of Allstate Sales, a company that
sold office supplies, furniture and other
materials to the Detroit Public Schools.
According to court records, Shy
received an estimated $2.7 million
from DPS as payment for fraudulent
invoices and admitted to paying out
close to $1 million in kickbacks to 12
principals and one assistant superin-
tendent, who helped him receive pay-
ment for fraudulent invoices to DPS for
supplies never delivered.
Shy’s plea deal included payment of
$2.76 million in restitution to DPS and
$51,667 in back taxes.
The kickbacks ranged from $4,000 to
$324,785. Some payments were mon-
etary; others included gift cards, credit
card payments or payments for services
such as home improvements.
Most of the other defendants,
charged with running individual kick-
back schemes for a period spanning
13 years, have pleaded guilty. None
currently works for the Detroit school
system; some were already retired
when the schemes came to light and
the others were dismissed as a result of
the charges. All the defendants could
face prison terms in addition to paying
restitution to DPS for the bribes they
received from Shy.
At Shy’s sentencing, scheduled
for Sept. 6, he could also face 70 to
87 months in prison for the felony
charges. Separate charges for prison,
probation or other court costs may also
be levied. Shy, who has agreed to coop-
erate with prosecutors and the IRS, has
no prior arrests or criminal record.
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SEE CHILDREN’S
PORTRAITS AT
FRANKLIN CAFE
Kids, dogs and family. It’s all
there within an exhibition of
30 portraits of children photo-
graphed by photographer Elaine
Yaker of Pierce Street Portraits
in Birmingham.
The show represents
examples from Yaker’s 25-year
career. Revealed within the
portraits is the human condi-
tion of childhood — funny,
loving, tentative, bold, pouty,
self-aware and all other unlim-
ited possibilities.
The exhibit is on through
Aug. 15 at Farmhouse Coffee
and Ice Cream, 32644 Franklin
Road, Franklin. For informa-
tion, call Yaker at (248) 646-
6950 or (248) 703-8227.
Much To Do! from page 26
FRIDAY, AUG. 19
MENTAL HEALTH CONFAB
9 am-2 pm, Aug. 19. Registration begins at
8 for Oakland County Community Mental
Health Authority’s “Your Voice, Your Value,”
a conference for individuals who receive
public mental health services. Includes mod-
erated panel with state legislators, breakout
sessions, peer presentations and awards
luncheon. At Detroit Troy Marriott Hotel, 200
W. Big Beaver. Free. RSVP by Aug 10: www.
occmha.org or Debbie, 248-858-0929.
SUNDAY, AUG. 21
JCYCLE 6
8:30 am-1 pm, Aug. 21. Groups leave every
15 minutes until 9:30. Jewish Historical
Society of Michigan sponsors 18-mile bicycle
tour of historic Jewish Detroit. Stops include
Boston-Edison, Chicago Blvd., Grande
Ballroom on Grand River, Dexter-Davison
neighborhood, Central High School and
Oakland Avenue/North End area. Bike rent-
als available. At New Center Park, 2990 West
Grand Blvd. at Second, Detroit. $36 ($25
student) through Aug. 12; $45 all ages on
event day. Charge includes post-ride, kosher
picnic-in-the-park at 12:30; $12 for non-rider.
Info: www.michjewishhistory.org or 248-
432-5403.
NEEDLEPOINT WORKSHOP
10:30 am, Aug. 21 or 7 pm, Aug. 23. Attend
one or both sessions, Anne Greenstein will
teach how to make a Judaic symbol needle-
point bookmark from a kit. Participants can
put one to three objects on their bookmark.
At Cong. Beth Shalom in Oak Park. $12.50.
RSVP to Anne by Aug. 12: agreenstein@
yahoo.com or 248-626-7768.
TUESDAY, AUG. 23
OPERA HOUSE TOUR
10 am, Aug. 23. Tikvah Hadassah will
carpool to downtown Detroit for tour. At
Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway. $15,
or $10 Hadassah member; lunch on own at
a location to be determined. Send or drop
off check, payable to Hadassah, by Aug. 16
to: Davidson Hadassah House, 5030 Orchard
Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323. Info:
touraug23@gmail.com or Toni, 248-593-
3155.
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Photo portraits by Elaine Yaker
TUESDAY, SEPT.13
HADASSAH OPENING EVENT
TUTORS NEEDED FOR
BAGLEY ELEMENTARY
B’NAI ISRAEL NAMES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Detroit Interfaith Outreach Network, in conjunction with the
Jewish Community Relations Council’s Literacy Tutoring Program,
is looking for adults to give a few hours once or twice a week to work
with students at Bagley Elementary School in Detroit. The program
will begin in late September and continue throughout the school year.
The plan is flexible for volunteers who may be away during the
winter months. People interested can contact Janet Meir at (248) 320-
6710 or mutzim@aol.com.
B’nai Israel Synagogue of West Bloomfield has elected the fol-
lowing officers for the 2016-2017 synagogue year: Frank Ellias,
president; Sandy Lada, vice president; Michael Golob, secretary;
and David Pappas, treasurer. Other elected board members
are Joanna Abramson, Charles Seigerman, Jordan Stevenson,
Howard Friedman and Cheryl Berlin.
Linda Jacobson will continue as executive director, and Debra
Singer will serve in the new position of director of information
technology and services.
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28 August 4 • 2016
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10 am-3:30 pm, Sept. 13. Hours for
Hadassah Greater Detroit’s boutique shop-
ping. Main events are luncheon at noon and
talk by filmmaker Nancy Spielberg (Above
and Beyond) at 1. At Cong. Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield. Various admission levels. RSVP by
Sept. 5. Info: Hadassah, 248-683-5030.
_____________________________________
Esther Allweiss Ingber / Contributing Writer
Send items to calendar@thejewishnews.com.