The activities of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in the U.S. are under fire for the misuse of federal and state funds as well as abuse of the immigration system in a visa scheme used to funnel foreign, unqualified teachers into their state charter schools. Led by Fethullah Gülen, a shady imam who masterminded the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey, FETÖ runs a vast network of schools around the world but primarily invests in charter schools in the U.S., which receive government funding and operate independently of the public school system.
Murat Güzel, a Turkish businessman and finance manager in the Democratic Party said that there are growing questions among the public concerning the Gülen Movement in terms of its obscure financial structure. "Taxpayers in the U.S. want to clearly know where their money goes" he said, referring to previous investigation carried out by the FBI into Gülen schools.
FETÖ has long been under the intelligence surveillance. Charter schools linked to Gülenists in the U.S. are facing several investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in four states across the country. In June 2014, 19 charter schools affiliated with the FETÖ in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were raided by the FBI for similar crimes linked to educational resources tenders.
Also last month, the Texas Education Agency launched an investigation into the Gülenist Harmony school network two months after a formal complaint was filed. The network of Harmony schools, reportedly financed by over $250 million federal and state tax dollars annually, operates seven open-enrollment charter school districts on 46 charter campuses in Texas.
The investigation also revealed that the Gülenist network uses taxpayer funds to finance illegal H1-B visas to bring under-qualified Turkish teachers in from overseas and place them in key positions in the schools.
In March 2016, a U.S.-made documentary exposed corruption in the schools. According to the documentary, FETÖ receives over $500 million in taxpayer-funded revenue each year. The funding is supposed to be used to operate charter schools in the U.S., which now number more than 150 schools (with 12 new schools having been applied for) enrolling 60,000 students annually.
LIST OF GÜLEN CHARTER SCHOOLS IN USA
146 Charter Schools
Arizona
Sonoran Science Academy
Sonoran Science Academy - Ahwatukee
Sonoran Science Academy - Broadway
Sonoran Science Academy - Davis Monthan
Sonoran Science Academy - Phoenix
Sonoran Science Academy - Tucson
Sonoran Science Academy - Peoria
Paragon Science Academy
Arkansas
LISA Academy North
LISA Academy West
California
Magnolia Science Academy
Magnolia Science Academy 2
Magnolia Science Academy 3
Magnolia Science Academy 4
Magnolia Science Academy 5
Magnolia Science Academy 6
Magnolia Science Academy 7
Magnolia Science Academy - Bell
Magnolia Science Academy - Santa Ana
Magnolia Science Academy - San Diego
Magnolia Science Academy - San Diego
Magnolia Science Academy - Santa Clara
Colorado
Lotus School for Excellence
DC
Harmony School of Excellence
Florida
Broward Math & Science Schools
Discovery Academy of Science
New Springs Elementary School
New Springs Middle School
Orlando Science Middle/High School
Orlando Science Elementary School
River City Science Academy, Middle School
River City Science Academy Innovation
River City Science Elementary Academy
Stars Middle School, Tallahassee
Georgia
Fulton Sunshine Academy
Illinois
Chicago Math and Science Academy (CMSA)
Horizon Science Academy - Belmont
Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park
Horizon Science Academy - Southwest Chicago
Quest Charter Academy - Peoria Middle
Quest Charter Academy - Peoria High
Indiana
Indiana Math and Science Academy (IMSA) - West
Indiana Math and Science Academy (IMSA) - North
Indiana Math and Science Academy (IMSA) - South
Louisiana
Kenilworth Science and Technology, Baton Rouge
Maryland
Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School
Maryland Chesapeake Math and It Academy
Maryland Chesapeake Math and It - Elementary
Maryland Chesapeake Math and It - South
Massachusetts
Pioneer Charter School of Science
Pioneer Charter School of Science II
Hampden Charter School of Science
Michigan
Michigan Math and Science Academy
Minnesota
Minnesota Math and Science Academy
Missouri
Frontier School of Excellence
Frontier School of Innovation
Frontier STEM
Gateway Science Academy - Smiley
Gateway Science Academy - Fyler
Gateway Science Academy - South
Nevada
Coral Academy of Science Charter School - Reno
Coral Academy of Science Charter School - Las Vegas
New Jersey
Central Jersey College Prep Charter School
Paterson Charter School for Science/Technology
Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School
Bergen Arts and Science Charter School
Passaic Arts and Science Charter
Paterson Arts and Science Charter School
New Mexico
Albuquerque School of Excellence
New York
Syracuse Academy of Science
Buffalo Academy of Science
Rochester Academy Charter School
Utica Academy of Science
North Carolina
Triad Math and Science Academy
Triangle Math and Science Academy
Ohio
Horizon Science Academy - Cincinnati
Horizon Science Academy - Cleveland High School
Horizon Science Academy - Cleveland Middle School
Horizon Science Academy - Columbus High School
Horizon Science Academy - Columbus Middle School
Horizon Science Academy - Columbus Elementary School
Horizon Science Academy - Dayton Elementary School
Horizon Science Academy - Dayton High School
Horizon Science Academy - Dayton Downtown
Horizon Science Academy - Denison Middle School
Horizon Science Academy - Denison Elementary School
Horizon Science Academy - Lorain
Horizon Science Academy - Springfield
Horizon Science Academy - Toledo
Horizon Science Academy - Youngstown
Noble Academy - Cleveland
Noble Academy - Columbus
Oklahoma
Discovery School of Tulsa
Dove Science Academy - Oklahoma City
Dove Science Academy - Elementary School
Dove Science Academy - Tulsa
Pennsylvania
Truebright Science Academy, Philadelphia
Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania
Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Greenville Renewable Energy Education (GREEN) Charter School
Tennessee
Memphis School of Excellence
Texas
Austin - Academy
Austin - Science
Austin - North
Austin - Excellence
Austin - Political
Austin - Innovation
Beaumont
Brownsville
Bryan/College Station
Carrollton
Dallas - Academy
Dallas - Business
Dallas - Nature
El Paso - Academy
El Paso - Innovation
Fort Worth - Academy
Fort Worth - Innovation
Garland - Academy
Garland - Innovation
Grand Prairie
Euless - Academy
Euless - Innovation
Houston - Academy
Houston - Advance
Houston - Art
Houston - Discovery
Houston - Excellence
Houston - Endeavor
Houston - High School
Houston - Ingenuity
Houston - Innovation
Houston - Exploration
Houston - North West
Sugar Land - HSS
Sugar Land - High
West Houston
Laredo - Academy
Laredo - Innovation
Lubbock
Odessa
San Antonio - Academy
San Antonio - Innovation
Waco
Utah
Beehive Science & Technology Academy
Wisconsin
Milwaukee Math and Science Academy