Top Schools Official Resigns In Wake Of Scandal
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A top schools official has resigned and an assistant principal has been fired over a scandal involving extramarital affairs, spying and threats.
A report by the Special Investigator's office says Milciades Pepin, an assistant principal for several schools in Manhattan, used his skills to hack into computers and cell phones belonging to his four supervisors, including Superintendent Francesca Pena.
Investigators say Pena admitted that two years ago, she asked Pepin to help her hack into her husband's cell phone over concerns he was involved with another woman. Pepin and Pena were also romantically involved, according to the report.
Investigators suspect Pepin turned the tables on Pena, spying on her, as well as the three principals he worked for.
"He had access to the computers, to the cell phones that the principals were using. So he just downloaded technology that allowed him to create e-mails, to erase e-mails, to change e-mails, to send e-mails from one person to another person," said Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon.
At least one of those messages was sent from Pena's email account to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.
The report's findings have been referred to the Manhattan district attorney.
The Department of Education says it's looking into what training employees receive and what security precautions are in place to safeguard against electronic spying.