33 guilty verdicts for the two main defendants
Like the United States Attorney’s Office in one Press release [Link to English] announced that a US federal court in Houston found ex-NFL player and poker player Anthony Hutchison (64) and former chief operating officer of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Brian Busby, guilty of 33 counts.
The two men were charged with bribery, conspiracy, tax fraud and influencing witnesses, among other things. The total fraud amount amounts to around 6 million USD (around 5.2 million EUR). For years, Busby brokered orders to Hutchison's companies Southwest Wholesale and Bulldog Timber for which inflated invoices were issued. In return, Hutchison gave him cash and carried out renovation work for him. According to the indictment, Busby earned $530,000 (around 300 S$) from the fraud scheme.
Hutchison is said to have sneaked up to USD 800,000 (around EUR 703,000) annually between 2011 and 2020. The incorrect booking of expenses also served to evade taxes. Hutchison then apparently used the money to pay off massive gambling debts. However, services for the HISD were never provided.
As poker professional Ayaz Mahmood testified in court, Hutchison was an impulsive poker player who sometimes lost up to USD 300,000 (around EUR 264,000) in one evening during high-stakes poker rounds in Houston.
Who is Anthony Hutchison?
Anthony Hutchison was born on February 4, 1961 in Houston, Texas and played college football at Texas Tech University. In the 1983 NFL Draft, he was selected in the 10th round, 256th, by the Chicago Bears. In his three-year NFL career, he played for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. During that time, he recorded 63 rushing yards on 22 attempts and two touchdowns.
After his football career ended in 1985, Hutchison started a landscaping business in Texas. In December 1989 he was convicted of employing illegal immigrants. He received a sentence of 60 days in prison, eight months of house arrest and a fine of USD 2,000 (around EUR 1,760).
Privately, Hutchison was active in the high-stakes scene in Houston for years, but was not known as a notable poker player.
Other componentsigte also guilty
Five other HISD officials have also now pleaded guilty to conspiracy. They are said to have actively participated in the awarding of contracts or not reported irregularities.
HISD is the largest school district in the state, and Houstonians trusted district officials to spend their tax dollars wisely and carefully.–Nicholas J. Ganjei, Attorney General, The Lion
The verdict is currently scheduled for July 28, 2025. Both main defendants would therefore face prison sentences of up to 20 years each and fines of up to USD 250,000 (around EUR 220,000) per count. Both would remain free on bail pending sentencing.
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