CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek says his office is examining financial transactions and alleged irregularities at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, while a separate district attorney request asks the SBI to open a criminal investigation.
Boliek confirmed the state review during a Sept. 23 visit to CMS headquarters. He told WFAE and WBTV that his office had received concerns from residents, gathered a large set of documents and was reviewing financial records, budgets and contracts. He said the work had been underway for about three weeks and did not give a completion date.
Separately, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather made a Sept. 18 request for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to conduct a formal criminal investigation. In an official release and letter, Merriweather said an earlier informal inquiry had raised concerns about transactions during fiscal years 2026 and 2027 and possible violations of state law. His request was not limited to one person or organization.
Merriweather emphasized that requesting an investigation does not establish wrongdoing or amount to a formal allegation. The official letter documents the district attorney’s request; it does not establish the SBI’s response or the status of any formal case.
The auditor’s inquiry became public one day after the CMS Board of Education voted 5-4 to fire Superintendent Crystal Hill for convenience. WFAE reported that a separate review commissioned by the school board found no improper conduct by Hill. The state financial review and the board’s personnel decision are distinct matters, and the available records do not link Hill to financial wrongdoing.
Boliek said his office is coordinating with the SBI and will let the records guide any findings or recommendations. Until the agencies complete their work, the scope, subjects and potential conclusions remain unresolved. The inquiry has direct consequences for public accountability because CMS is one of North Carolina’s largest school systems and manages taxpayer-funded budgets and contracts.
Sources
- Mecklenburg County District Attorney: Sept. 18 request and letter
- WFAE report carried by WUNC on the state auditor’s review
- WBTV report on the auditor’s Sept. 23 announcement
Photo Credit: North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, official Dave Boliek portrait provided for media use. Adapted by cropping and adding the unchanged NC Political News footer and logo. Source: https://www.auditor.nc.gov/newsroom
Editor’s Note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.