Dr. Devon Horton, the superintendent of Georgia's DeKalb County School District, has been indicted on multiple charges in connection with what federal prosecutors say was a "wire fraud scheme" at his former job in Illinois.

In an indictment obtained by CBS News Chicago, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois alleges that Horton steered contracts to companies owned by three of his life-long friends while superintendent of the Evanston/Skokie School District 65. He then received kickbacks worth around $85,000, officials said.

The indictment identifies the other three defendants as Antonio Ross, the principal of Chicago's Hyde Park Academy; Alfonzo Lewis, the athletic director of Hyde Park Academy and owner of New Flight 35 Sports & Academic Academy LLC; and Samuel Ross, the owner of Asset Protection Specialist LLC.

According to prosecutors, the companies that both Rosses and Lewis created were just to apply as vendors and receive payments from District 65. A portion of those payments would be kicked back to Horton. During this time, Horton allegedly concealed his relationship with the three other defendants to hide that he had a personal interest in the contracts, the indictment says.

The value of the contracts made from 2020 to 2023 was about $285,000, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois spokesperson Joseph Fitzpatrick said.

The four men are charged with wire fraud. Horton is also facing charges of embezzlement, tax evasion, and improper use of the district's credit card.

Illinois' Evanston/Skokie School District 65 released a statement saying that it had been aware of the ongoing investigation and had "fully supported the process."

District 65 School Board President Sergio Hernandez and Vice President Dr. Nichole Pinkard said that they were "deeply troubled and angered by these allegations."

On Thursday, the DeKalb County School Board voted to put Horton on administrative leave. Dr. Norman C. Sauce III, the district's chief of student services, will serve as acting superintendent.

Horton was hired to be DeKalb County's superintendent in 2023. He had previously served as the Illinois district's superintendent starting in 2020.

Before his time with District 65, Horton was the chief of schools for Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, deputy superintendent for East St. Louis School District 189 in Illinois, and a principal and assistant principal in Chicago Public Schools.