UPDATED, 3 p.m. | A federal grand jury in Charleston has returned a five-count indictment presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that accuses Charleston County School Board member Kevin D. Hollinshead, 64, of North Charleston of bribery as well as four counts of fraud, three of which are related to COVID relief loans.
“As alleged, Hollinshead used his position and influence as a school board member for personal gain,” U.S. District Attorney Bryan Stirling said in a press release today. “Our office will continue to hold elected officials who violate the public trust accountable, particularly when that trust involves the well-being of our children’s education.”
The Charleston County School District said in a statement today that it is aware of the indictment and has received his official resignation from his seat.
“We take these allegations very seriously,” Superintendent Anita Huggins said in the statement. “At the same time, it is important for our community to understand that the district’s procurement decisions are driven by established law, policy and professional staff processes. Our systems ensure decisions remain fair, transparent and free from outside influence.”
The Charleston City Paper endorsed Hollinshead for his position on the school board in October 2024 when he ran for an open seat.
In a brief text, Hollinshead today said he has a “public defense attorney” as well as another attorney on his team.
Bribery, kickback alleged
The indictment alleges that Hollinshead accepted funds in 2025 in exchange for support for an undisclosed construction company’s appeal after a failed bid to construct a new middle school within the Charleston County School District (CCSD).
According to the indictment, CCSD did not accept the company’s bid because it allegedly did not comply with procurement requirements. One of the company’s proposed subcontractors reportedly did not possess an active license in South Carolina.
Hollinshead allegedly encouraged an executive from the company to hire a consultant, who reportedly agreed to give Hollinshead a 20% kickback from his fees from the company. The consultant reportedly charged $5,000 per month. Hollinshead allegedly had multiple meetings with the consultant and members of the construction company to discuss a settlement dispute with CCSD.
“What we talk about stays in this room, other than them,” he reportedly said at the beginning of one such meeting on June 11, 2025. “I was never here.”
On July 2, the consultant allegedly paid Hollinshead $1,040 in cash from his $5,000 check from the construction company.
The indictment says Hollinshead also allegedly used his position as a trustee to influence the process in favor of the construction company throughout June and July. Hollinshead reportedly admitted to others that he could not sit on certain panels or participate in certain executive sessions, but had multiple discussions with both parties about the settlement.
“Hollinshead … did corruptly solicit, demand and knowingly accept and agree to accept, for his own benefit, a thing of value from [the consultant], intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with a business, transaction and series of transactions,” the indictment said.
According to the indictment, a review panel on Aug. 27 ultimately issued a decision in favor of CCSD, rejecting the construction company’s appeal.
Four counts of fraud
The indictment further accuses Hollinshead of four counts of fraud, including one count of wire fraud related to the construction company and one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud related to COVID relief funds.
In addition to the alleged fraud related to the $5,000 check from the construction company to the consultant, the indictment said Hollinshead falsified multiple documents to receive large amounts of money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided by the CARES Act enacted by Congress in March 2020.
According to the indictment, Hollinshead reportedly caused Optus Bank to send him $24,200, representing PPP funds to his account on July 1, 2020. The following year, on April 20, 2021, he allegedly had Optus Bank send him an additional $20,765, representing PPP funds to a different account he also controlled.
Hollinshead then allegedly spent some portion of the funds on non-qualifying, non-business-related purposes, including $6,050 for a medical procedure in Tijuana, Mexico, and travel expenses to and from Tijuana related to the procedure.
Hollinshead faces a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment, supervised release for three years, and a $1 million fine. Hollinshead is scheduled to appear March 18 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry in Charleston.
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