Ex-Education Official in Mass. Accused of Nonprofit Fraud Takes Leave

The head of a Massachusetts nonprofit group that aids special-needs students is taking a leave of absence amid allegations that he used the organization to siphon millions of dollars in government funds from a state education agency he also led, The Boston Globe says.

Gregory W. Sullivan, the Massachusetts inspector general, last week accused John B. Barranco of bilking the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative by charging it inflated prices for office space, information technology, and other services provided by his nonprofit Merrimack Education Center.

The education center’s board said Wednesday that Mr. Barranco had offered to take unpaid leave to ensure the organization could “conduct a proper review” of the charges leveled by the inspector general, which have also triggered investigations by the Massachusetts attorney general and state auditor.

Mr. Barranco did not respond to calls for comment, the newspaper said.