Rogue uni IT director pleads guilty after fraudulently buying $2.1M of tech

A former Webster University IT director, Ronald Simpson, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for a years-long scheme (2018–2023) in which he falsely procured “hundreds” of IT equipment items using university funds and fraudulently obtained 56 replacement products from vendor CSI, then resold them to a third party. The university spent at least $1 million based on his misrepresentations; CSI shipped $780,233 in replacement gear; and Simpson received about $2.1 million from the reseller. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with the FBI investigating the case.