A teacher certification scandal shakes the planet Houston area, according to a statement Monday from Harris County Prosecutor Kim Ogg.

The scheme involved hundreds of teachers taking fake exams, distributed by the suspects who charged on certificate, and many of them were falsely certified.

The cheating ring has unmasked at least five people allegedly involved in the million-dollar cheating scandal that led to the fraudulent certification of teachers working in the district. At least three of those charged were employees of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), including two assistant principals and a high school basketball coach.

Officials believe high school basketball coach Booker T. Washington was the ringleader and made about $1 million from the program, charging $2,500 per certificate, although some paid more.

Five people are charged in connection with a teacher certification cheating ring. (Fox News)

Ogg said that the diagram goes back until May 2020, and it is believed that hundreds of tests were falsified and investigators say that at present, approximately 20 teachers have come forward with confessions.

“The scale of this scheme will never be fully known, but we do know that at least 400 tests were taken and at least 200 teachers were falsely certified,” Ogg said.

Ogg also said at least two of those who paid to obtain the fake certification have been charged with indecency with a child as well as online solicitation of a minor.

“It’s very troubling,” said Mike Levine, chief crimes officer in the public corruption division of the DA’s office. “Because teachers, especially teachers and coaches who help influence kids’ behavior, we look to them for their moral compass. Part of what they do goes beyond their mastery of their subject matter. “

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The downtown skyline is pictured as the sun rises on August 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

Chargers are on standby for:

• Vincent Grayson, 57: Head basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD, Grayson is accused of organizing the scheme.
• Tywana Gilford Mason, 51: Former director and certification manager of the Houston Training and Education Center, Mason allegedly helped cover up the proxy scheme as a testing proctor.
• Nicholas Newton, 35: Assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, Newton allegedly acted as a proxy candidate in the cheating ring.
• Darian Nikole Wilhite, 22: a supervisor at TACTIX, Wilhite is accused of accepting bribes to enable proxy testing.
• LaShonda Roberts, 39: Assistant principal at Yates High School, Roberts reportedly recruited nearly 100 teachers to participate in the program.

Each defendant faces two counts of engaging in organized activity. criminal activity.

“The most important thing to me is that the ringleaders have been identified and are being chased out of our home school district. The fact that they were in positions of power there, where they were held in esteem by the kids, is the worst of this crime,” Ogg said.

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A Texas flag hangs on the back of a police motorcycle outside the funeral of Dallas Police Sergeant Michael Smith at Watermark Community Church, Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Dallas. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

A HISD spokesperson says the district was not aware of the plan until just before the arrests and all employees were immediately placed on leave.

“HISD was informed of the investigation into an alleged cheating plot shortly before the arrests. an educator who is committed Conduct of this nature abdicates responsibility to our students and staff and represents a complete betrayal of the public trust. HISD will cooperate fully with the Texas Education Agency and state and local law enforcement as the investigation progresses. These three employees have been arrested and will receive notices removing them from their duties with immediate effect.

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“Additionally, if it is determined that any teachers currently working at HISD participated in this program or passed their certification exams fraudulently, we will take swift action to terminate their employment with the district.”

The prosecutor’s office urges anyone with information about these certifications to contact local police or Crime Stoppers.