An ex-Illinois Department of Children and Family Services employee is accused of stealing at least $1.6 million in funds, which were intended for preschool services. Federal officials allege that the employee instead used the money at an Illinois casino.
Investigators uncovered the scheme over several years. The Illinois Office of the Inspector General and Illinois State Police initiated the investigation in August 2022 at the request of the employee’s immediate supervisor. The FBI joined the investigation in November.
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Shauntelle Pridgeon, 54, of Chicago, has been charged in federal court with one count of honest services fraud. According to a federal complaint, she was employed as a Social Service Community Advisor with DCFS from 2015 to August 2022. Her role involved reviewing and approving preschool providers for children under DCFS supervision.
The complaint alleges that Pridgeon accepted bribes from multiple individuals in exchange for favorable consideration of their applications to become daycare providers for children in foster care over several years.
Between 2016 and 2022, Pridgeon and her spouse’s bank account received approximately $1.6 million in undisclosed payments from at least 12 individuals who were registered with DCFS as daycare providers. Under the scheme, providers would receive payments from DCFS and then transfer over half of that money to Pridgeon, as stated by an FBI agent’s findings.
During this period, investigators claim Pridgeon made frequent trips to an unnamed Illinois casino where she gambled extensively. The investigation revealed that she spent most of her time playing slot machines.
The complaint states that Pridgeon often used the money she received from the daycare providers to cover her gambling-related expenses. She allegedly spent $3.7 million on slot machines between January 2015 and November 2022. While she won $1.7 million from gambling, it was outweighed by the $2.2 million she lost on the casino floor.
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The scheme began to unravel in August. That’s when Pridgeon’s direct supervisor noticed several irregularities with her paperwork. In one instance, Pridgeon had approved a daycare provider who had been paid around $280,000 but was not actually providing childcare services. The supervisor asked Pridgeon for information to explain what had happened, but Pridgeon claimed the documents were missing.
Investigators found that the supervisor requested another employee to search for the missing files. Pridgeon allegedly hurried to a file room, where she took the records from the other employee and disposed of them in the trash. Fortunately, the forms were eventually recovered.
DCFS spokesperson Heather Tarczan stated that the organization responded appropriately when they discovered what was happening.
“As soon as DCFS identified discrepancies in daycare-related accounting, we alerted the authorities immediately and requested a full investigation into this matter,” said Tarczan. “The agency has taken all appropriate steps, including putting this employee on leave pending investigation. With today’s indictment, the agency will take the next steps in the disciplinary process.”
The supervisor reported the incident to the Illinois Office of the Inspector General and the Illinois State Police, who began their investigation. FBI agents became involved in November.
Pridgeon was released on her own recognizance. Her case will be held in federal court. If convicted of honest services fraud, she could face penalties similar to other types of mail, wire, or healthcare fraud, which can range from up to 20 years to sometimes up to 30 years in prison.a
M.J. Caillou is a Lead Writer at Play Illinois. He has been covering news and sports for over a decade in both online and TV broadcasts. He grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and is an alum of Minnesota State University: Moorhead. He recently delved into tribal casino and online gambling journalism. He has also covered the launch of sports betting in Arizona. M.J. has experience as a reporter and videographer, and has covered high school, college, and professional sports throughout his career, with a particular focus on the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Vikings, and North Dakota State University football.
