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Federal authorities arrested former Dohn Community High School Superintendent Leondo Ramone Davenport and businessman Jonathan Larry Ballew in an alleged $8 million fraud and kickback scheme. Prosecutors allege the men submitted or approved fraudulent invoices, exchanged more than $4 million in alleged kickbacks, and used proceeds for luxury purchases. Both men have been indicted and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in federal court.
Federal authorities arrested the former superintendent and operator of Dohn Community High School in relation to an alleged $8 million fraud and kickback scheme.
A federal grand jury indicted Leondo Ramone Davenport, 50, of Cincinnati, and Jonathan Larry Ballew, 62, of Phoenix, Arizona.
Davenport and Ballew face wire fraud and money laundering-related charges, according to the US Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors allege the men used Dohn Community High School to carry out a scheme between 2021 and 2024.
Authorities say the alleged fraud scheme involved false invoices, inflated costs, kickbacks, and taxpayer-funded money.
The school abruptly closed in March 2025, leaving students to find new schools with about a month remaining in the academic year.
Davenport and Ballew are presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges in court.
Federal indictment outlines alleged Dohn fraud scheme
According to the Justice Department, Davenport served as superintendent in the said school from 2015 through 2019.
Later, he operated the school through an LLC from 2019 until 2024, the prosecutors said.
Dohn began as an Ohio nonprofit around 1999 and operated as a community school beginning around 2001.
Under Ohio law, community schools are public schools that operate independently from traditional school districts.
Moreover, federal prosecutors allege Ballew created or controlled several companies that claimed to provide services to Dohn.
Those services included:
- Educational services
- Staff and student training
- Technology services
- Staffing
- Construction
- Remodeling
The indictment alleges Ballew submitted false or fraudulent invoices through those companies.
Prosecutors say some invoices billed Dohn for services that never occurred. Other invoices allegedly charged the school excessive amounts for work or services.
Davenport allegedly approved the payments while serving as the school’s superintendent and operator.
According to the Justice Department, Davenport authorized more than $8 million in payments to companies controlled by Ballew between 2021 and 2024.
Federal authorities allege Ballew then paid more than $4 million back to Davenport as kickbacks.
Furthermore, the Justice Department described the allegations as a scheme that affected both taxpayers and students.
Investigators began examining Dohn’s finances in 2024
The federal charges followed an investigation that began after the Ohio Auditor’s Office received information about possible fraud in the fall of 2024, according to a report by FOX19.
Davenport left Dohn later that year.
According to WCPO 9’s I-Team, public records showed a longstanding business connection between the former superintendent and the companies associated with Ballew. The station had previously reported that state investigators were examining contractors connected to the school.
Federal prosecutors now allege that those relationships formed a large part of the fraud scheme.
The indictment identifies several companies allegedly connected to Ballew.
FOX19 NOW reported that the companies included Core Educational Services LLC, Capital School Services, Progressive Tech Solutions LLC, and Elite Development Resources LLC.
One allegation involves construction work at a Dohn property.
Moreover, FOX19 also reported that Dohn entered a lease agreement for a Gilbert Avenue property in March 2022. The school planned to convert the location into an educational facility.
Ballew’s Capital School Services allegedly submitted invoices totaling about $1.4 million by May 2024, according to the indictment.
Federal prosecutors allege Davenport authorized those payments.
The indictment further alleges that money later moved into accounts controlled by him.
Fraud scheme allegations include luxury vehicles
Moreover, federal prosecutors also allege that both spent proceeds from the scheme on luxury purchases and real estate.
According to the Justice Department, the two signed a two-year rental agreement in October 2023 for a luxury vacation property near Miami.
The property reportedly cost $30,000 per month.
Federal authorities also identified luxury vehicle purchases in the indictment.
FOX19 NOW reported that Bellow faced a separate count connected to the purchase of a Bently valued at $67,222. Davenport faced a separate count connected to the purchase of a Rolls-Royce valued at $149,990.
U.S. lawyer Dominick Gerace II said federal authorities believe the alleged scheme took money away from its intended purpose.
The Justice Department said the investigation involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office.
BI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie said fraud involving public funds affects taxpayers.
Enrollment figures also raised questions
The indictment also alleges Davenport inflated Dohn’s student enrollment figures to increase revenue from state and federal sources.
According to WVXU, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce data showed Dohn reported enrollment of 1,676 students during the school year 2023-2024.
The reported enrollment dropped sharply after Davenport’s departure.
Dohn reported just 355 students during the school year 2024-2025, according to state education data.
The difference between those enrollment figures became another focus of the federal allegations.
Community schools receive public funding based partly on student enrollment and attendance.
Federal prosecutors have not alleged that every student included in Dohn’s enrollment reports was fraudulent.
However, the indictment alleges Davenport overstated the school’s full-time student enrollment to increase the money available to the school.
The allegations come after a difficult period for students and families connected to the High School.
The school reportedly closed abruptly in March 2025 due to financial problems.
The closure forced students to seek other education options before the end of the school year.
Dohn had served students who faced academic and personal challenges for more than two decades.
What charges do Davenport and Ballew face?
The federal indictment contains eight counts involving two defendants.
According to the Justice Department, the charges include:
- Four counts of wire fraud
- Multiple counts involving monetary transactions using property allegedly derived from unlawful activity
- Additional separate counts involving specific luxury vehicle purchases
Wire fraud carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Engaging in monetary transactions involving property derived from unlawful activity carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Actual sentences would depend on a conviction, federal sentencing guidelines, and decisions by the court.
Federal prosecutors must still prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment itself does not establish guilt.
Fraud scheme leaves questions about oversight
The federal case raises broader questions about financial oversight at publicly funded community schools.
Ohio community schools receive taxpayers funding while operating independently from traditional public school districts.
That structure requires school operators, governing boards, sponsors, and state agencies to monitor finances and enrollment.
The Dohn case also demonstrates how concerns about school finances can take years to reach criminal charges.
The Ohio Auditor’s Office received information about possible fraud in 2024, according to FOX19 NOW.
Federal authorities announced the indictments on September 3, 2026.
Davenport and Ballew were arrested by federal agents the same day the Justice Department announced the charges.
According to federal authorities, Davenport was arrested in the Cincinnati area, while Ballew was in Phoenix.
The criminal case will now move through federal court in the Southern District of Ohio.
For Cincinnati taxpayers and former Dohn families, the case could provide further answers about the financial problems that preceded the school’s closure.
The allegations also place renewed attention on how Ohio monitors public money flowing to independently operated community schools.
FAQs
Who was arrested in the Dohn fraud scheme?
Federal authorities arrested former Dohn Community High School Superintendent Leondo Ramone Davenport and businessman Jonathan Larry Ballew. A federal grand jury indicted both men on charges related to alleged wire fraud and money laundering.
How much money was allegedly involved in the Dohn fraud scheme?
Federal prosecutors allege that more than $8 million flowed from Dohn Community High School to companies controlled by Ballew between 2021 and 2024. The indictment alleges that more than $4 million later went to Davenport as kickbacks.
What did prosecutors say the defendants did?
The indictment alleges the defendants overcharged Dohn for educational services, training, technology, staffing, and construction work. Prosecutors also allege that some billed services were never performed and that Davenport inflated student enrollment figures.
What penalties could Davenport and Ballew face?
Wire fraud carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Charges involving monetary transactions with allegedly unlawful proceeds can carry up to 10 years, although any sentence would depend on a conviction and the court’s decision.
