During the time periods alleged in the indictment, RUSH was employed by SIUE as the Assistant Program Director in the federally funded “Talent Search” program, who is alleged to have misapplied, and permitted others to misapply, federal grant funds for his own personal use and the personal use of others. The indictment charges that federal grant funds were used to purchase gift cards, electronics, alcoholic beverages, groceries, and other consumer goods in violation of the rules and regulations limiting the expenditure of federal grant funds. RUSH is further charged with encouraging a witness to provide false information to investigators in order to conceal the fact that RUSH authorized $8,000 in payments to the witness for services that were never performed.

An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, the defendant is presumed innocent of all charges unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The crime of wire fraud carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years' imprisonment or a $250,000 fine, or both, and not more than 3 years' supervised release. The crime of misapplication of funds from programs receiving federal funds, carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years' imprisonment or a $250,000 fine, or both, and not more than 3 years' supervised release. The crime of obstructing justice by tampering with a witness carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years' imprisonment or a $250,000 fine, or both, and not more than 3 years' supervised release. However, the United States Sentencing Guidelines must be applied to the case and considered by the Court during sentencing.