The superintendent arrested by ICE had a consulting gig. His districts repeatedly hired the firm

Three months into his tenure leading Des Moines public schools, Ian Roberts asked the district's board for emergency approval of $116,000 in contracts. Finance officials warned Roberts that contracting with Kansas City-based Lively Paradox would be a conflict of interest, and Roberts canceled the special board meeting he'd requested in September 2023. Since his arrest last month by immigration agents, the public has grappled with how Roberts became a longtime superintendent despite allegedly lacking authorization to work in the U.S., having a history of criminal charges and touting falsified credentials.