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Politically Active
Lena Epstein is named co-chair
of the Trump Michigan Campaign.
T
rump-Pence campaign has added
Bloomfield Hills native Lena
Epstein as a co-chair for the
Trump Michigan Campaign.
Epstein, 35, is a
longtime Republican
activist, including roles
ranging from precinct
delegate and fundraiser
to chairing the Oakland
County Lincoln Day
Dinner and serving as
a TV and radio politi-
Lena Epstein
cal pundit. She is also
a third-generation co-owner and general
manager of Southfield-based Vesco Oil
Corporation, a family-owned distributor of
automotive and industrial lubricants and
supporting services. Vesco Oil is a certified
Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and
has more than 200 employees and revenue
exceeding $175 million.
“I was in the Trump camp from the very
beginning because he represents a change
from the status quo; an outsider with real
business experience and success who is
Twin Pines, Fox Run’s newest residence building, off ers
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We’re Novi’s premier continuing care retirement
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frank and honest with the American peo-
ple,” said Epstein. “I am excited to recruit
fellow millenials, the Jewish community
and the women of Michigan to demon-
strate that their futures and economic
prosperity lie with Trump and the GOP.”
Epstein also serves on numerous com-
munity boards including the Detroit
Regional Chamber, the Detroit Historical
Society, Temple Beth El of Bloomfield
Township, the Jewish Community Center,
the Community Foundation for Southeast
Michigan, Kadima and the Detroit Jewish
News Foundation.
She also was appointed by Gov. Rick
Snyder to the Michigan Child Abuse and
Neglect Prevention Board. Epstein has
a bachelor’s degree in economics from
Harvard University and an M.B.A. from
the University of Michigan Ross School of
Business.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to
be an American,” she said, “and I invite all
members of our Jewish community
to actively engage in this presidential
debate.”
*
DPS Vendor Given 5 Years In Prison
Ronelle Grier | Contributing Writer
D
espite numerous character ref-
erences and impassioned pleas
for leniency, former Detroit
Public Schools vendor Norman Shy was
sentenced to five years in prison for
his part in a massive kickback scheme
where he received $2.7 million for
fraudulent invoices submitted through
his company, Allstate Sales.
According to court records, Shy,
who turns 75 in October, paid a total
of $908,000 in bribes and kickbacks
for goods never provided to the school
district in a multi-year ruse involving at
least 13 DPS principals and administra-
tors.
The sentence was handed down by
U.S. Eastern District Judge Victoria
Roberts on Sept. 6, based on Shy’s pre-
vious guilty plea to two felony counts:
conspiracy to commit federal program
bribery and federal income tax evasion
for failing to report income earned dur-
ing 2011.
Federal prosecutors asked for a sen-
tence of 70 to 87 months, according to
the terms of Shy’s plea agreement. In a
court document, prosecutors stated the
money Shy took robbbed “society of
numerous future potential doctors, law-
yers, scientists, teachers.” Roberts said
Shy’s five-year sentence was warranted
for his crimes and also as a message to
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18 September 15 • 2016
other school officials that corruption
will not be tolerated.
In a memorandum asking Roberts
to reduce Shy’s sentence to no more
than 30 to 36 months, Shy’s attorney,
Christopher Andreoff, cited Shy’s age,
declining health and previous good
standing in the community. In addi-
tion, Shy submitted a 63-page packet to
Roberts including letters and character
references from his family, friends and
business associates. Among the writers
was Rabbi Alter Goldstein of the Ann
Arbor Chabad House, who said he had
known Shy and his family for 15 years
and asked the judge to be merciful,
especially in light of the approaching
High Holidays when those who repent
are granted a second chance.
In his own letter, Shy stated he has
been living in shame and “anguish” over
the pain he has caused his family, the
school district and the students.
Shy’s sentence includes paying
$2.7 million in restitution to DPS
and $51,667 in back taxes to the
Internal Revenue Service.
The other current and former DPS
employees involved in the scheme are
also facing prison sentences, including
former principal and assistant super-
intendent Clara Flowers, who was sen-
tenced to three years for receiving the
largest kickback, $324,785.
*