Five individuals, including the alleged ringleader Vincent Grayson, have been indicted on felony charges related to a fraudulent scheme aimed at helping people obtain Texas teacher certifications illegitimately, according to a statement from Attorney General Ken Paxton's office. The group is accused of facilitating a "Pay-To-Pass" system whereby teacher candidates would pay to have someone else take their certification exams.
The scheme involved candidates, who could not secure passing marks on the Texas Education Agency examinations, paying Grayson to arrange for Nicolas Newton to impersonate them at the testing facilities. These candidates were then allowed to leave, shortly after their arrival, as Newton took the exams on their behalf. Charged alongside Grayson, 57, are Nicolas Newton, 35, Tywana Gilford Mason, 51, Darian Wilhite, 22, and LaShonda Roberts, 39 each potentially facing up to 20 years in prison, as reported by the Attorney General Ken Paxton.
An investigation by the Attorney General's office, Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and the Texas Education Agency uncovered a scheme where test center employees helped five individuals, including Newton, fraudulently take certification exams for others. A grand jury has indicted them on two felony counts of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, as stated by the Attorney General Ken Paxton.
