Charleston County School Board Trustee Kevin Hollinshead Indicted on Federal Bribery and COVID Relief Fraud Charges

Trustee Kevin Hollinshead indicted for allegedly trading school board influence for kickbacks and misusing COVID relief funds for personal gain.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 11:14 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina

Federal Charges Filed Against Local Educational Official

A federal grand jury in Charleston has returned a five count indictment against Kevin Dion Hollinshead, a 64 year old trustee for the Charleston County School District. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, Hollinshead faces charges of bribery, wire fraud, and bank fraud. The allegations suggest that the elected official leveraged his public position for personal financial gain, specifically in relation to construction contracts and federal pandemic aid programs.

Allegations of Construction Contract Kickbacks

The indictment details a scheme where Hollinshead allegedly accepted a bribe to support a construction firm’s appeal after it lost a project bid. According to federal prosecutors, Hollinshead directed a company executive to hire a specific consultant to navigate the appeal process. It is alleged that this consultant had a standing agreement to kickback a portion of the resulting fees to Hollinshead. In exchange for these payments, the trustee reportedly used his official vote and influence on the Board of Trustees to favor the firm’s interests.

Misuse of Pandemic Relief Funding

Beyond the local bribery allegations, the federal government asserts that Hollinshead defrauded the Small Business Administration during 2020 and 2021. According to the investigative findings, Hollinshead submitted two loan applications containing fabricated revenue data and false employment figures. Rather than using the pandemic relief for business stabilization, the indictment claims the defendant diverted the capital for personal use, including funding a medical procedure at a clinic located in Mexico.