11 counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of honest services mail fraud. The indictment outlined the scheme to steer General Improvement Fund money from the state legislature to projects supported through funding distributed by the Northwest Arkansas Development District. The indictment also named the president of Ecclesia College in Springdale, Oren Paris III, who is facing nine counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services mail fraud after receiving funding from GIF monies. The college is not listed in the indictment. An Alma man, Randell G. Shelton Jr., is also listed in the indictment as part of an unnamed consulting company that was used to pay and conceal the kickbacks that Woods and Neal were allegedly receiving.
Both Shelton and Paris initially pleaded not guilty during arraignment hearings. Paris changed his plea to guilty on April 4, 2018, and resigned as president of Ecclesia College.
== Accreditation ==
Ecclesia College receives …
