Audit finds questionable spending, conflict of interest under former Des Moines schools superintendent

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) - An audit into the Des Moines Public Schools under former superintendent Ian Roberts shows about $2,000 in questionable spending and a conflict of interest with a company the district contracted.

Roberts, a Guyana native, was detained by ICE officials in September 2025 after being ordered to leave the country in 2024. He pleaded guilty in January to federal immigration charges.

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand says under Roberts’ watch, DMPS spent over $6,000 to contract Lively Paradox. He says Roberts had a deep professional and personal relationship with the company.

According to the audit, the school district’s chief financial officer knew of the conflict and initially denied it, but never reported it to the school board.

“In fact when one individual the CFO of the Des Moines Public School District found out about the professional relationship, Ian Roberts waited until the CFO was out of the country on vacation and then pushed a contract,” Sand said.

Des Moines Public Schools has since updated their policy regarding conflicts of interest for employees.

Sand says he also requested information from the Department of Education and Board of Examiners into how Roberts’ background check was conducted, but the Department refused to give him information.

Democrat Senator Tony Bisignano submitted the audit request last year to look into the Department’s immigration status and background check procedures.

He says they required a new letter of engagement to get the documentation which he says was not needed.

Below is Governor Kim Reynolds statement:

“Rob Sand is yet again using his position as state auditor as a platform for his political aspirations. He refuses to issue engagement letters to define the start, scope, and terms of his audits, calling into question his own credibility and objectivity. Instead, he holds press conferences to put state agencies on notice and points his finger at everyone but himself. All the while preventing well-intentioned state employees from responding, delaying the work of his own office, and failing to deliver for Iowans.

Establishing terms upfront also prevents overreach, something Sand has been known to attempt. First during the pandemic when he demanded access to Iowans’ personal health information and most recently when he claimed his powers superseded attorney-client privilege—a case he lost at the Iowa Supreme Court by a unanimous vote.”