Originally Syndicated on June 12, 2024 @ 8:09 am
Lena Esmail is the CEO of QUICKmed, an organization that’s at the center of FBI investigations. However, the current investigations and search warrants aren’t the only blemish on Lena Esmail’s reputation.
Apparently, her organization doesn’t treat its employees fairly and has faced multiple accusations of mistreatment. In this article, I’ll go over the various allegations against Lena Esmail and QUICKmed.
If you know someone who might be considering working there or doing business with them, kindly share this piece with them.
FBI Serves Search Warrant at Lena Esmail’s QUICKmed in Liberty
Just a few months back, there was a lot of buzz in the media about FBI’s investigation into QUICKmed, the company run by Lena Esmail.
On Wednesday, a search warrant was served at the QUICKmed Urgent Care located at 3499 Belmont Ave. by FBI agents.
FBI agents were also present at the Youngstown City School District offices on the same day.
A news release from FBI Public Affairs Officer Susan Licate stated that the agency carried out “court-authorized activity” at the health care provider’s Belmont Avenue location, as well as the company’s corporate location and other additional locations.
Licate added that no additional information could be shared at that time, due to the evolving nature of the matter.
Licate was unable to determine if the investigations were connected.
A reporter visited a residence located at 1185 Trails Edge Drive in Hubbard. This particular property, owned by Lena Esmail according to the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office website, was the subject of the reporter’s inquiry. The purpose of the visit was to obtain a comment from the owner and founder, Lena Esmail. A man in the house asked the reporter to leave.
In a news release sent later on Wednesday, Esmail stated that QUICKmed had continued to provide service at all of its locations after cooperating with federal agents.
They claimed to serve the community with pride, and all of their urgent care centers and school-based clinics continued to operate as usual.
In the release, it was mentioned that FBI agents had requested access to documents related to COVID-19, and the company promptly fulfilled all of their requests.
The release stated that they would continue to work transparently with government authorities.
The services provided as the community health care partner were a source of pride, and the organization eagerly anticipated delivering quality care to the communities it served for years to come, according to the release.
A source familiar with the Youngstown City School District, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor, Chief of Staff Robert Kearns, Treasurer Bryan Schiraldi, Chief of School Improvement Ava Yeager, and certain school board members were interviewed by the FBI.
According to a source, the investigation was connected to contracts that had been proposed or secured by former Superintendent Justin Jennings.
The source stated that the investigation extended from the period just before he left the district. It involved his contracts and the mismanagement of ARPA and ESSER funds. They seemed to have delved deeper into it at that time, possibly due to the district’s audit revealing more evidence.
Lena Esmail’s Home was Also Raided by the FBI, According to Media Reports
According to a source, Wednesday’s activity at the school started following the FBI’s search of QUICKmed.
The source expressed their belief that the FBI’s presence would continue beyond that day. They reasoned that if administrators and board members were being investigated and interviewed, it indicated that the FBI had some form of evidence. The source doubted that the FBI would invest their time without a valid reason.
Stacy Quinones, the spokesperson for Youngstown Schools, mentioned that the district was cooperating with authorities but refrained from commenting on the investigation.
According to its website, QUICKmed had 12 care facilities in the Youngstown and Cleveland areas. There were six locations in the Mahoning Valley, namely Austintown, Cortland, Liberty, Warren, Youngstown, and Columbiana.
QUICKmed clinics were also established in the Liberty, Youngstown, and Salem school districts, and a clinic was opened in Trumbull Career & Technical Center in Champion.
Four were established in the Youngstown City School District, partly due to the lack of transportation for many students to other care facilities. Additionally, numerous area doctors were overwhelmed with patients, as mentioned by Esmail during a 2023 interview with this newspaper.
QUICKmed provided walk-in medical care.
They provided treatment for minor to moderate injuries and illnesses, as well as X-rays, drug screenings, IV fluid therapy treatments, immunizations, and occupational and mental health services.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, QUICKmed experienced a significant increase in staff at all hospital locations due to their community outreach efforts. The staff increase was approximately 300%, as they worked with QUICKmed to conduct COVID-19 testing outside of their facilities.
Esmail claimed last year that they had tested more people for COVID in Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties than anyone else.
What are ESSER Funds?
Various media reports indicate that Lena Esmail is being investigated for mismanagement of ESSER funds. But what exactly are they? Find out below:
ESSER funds, or Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, are part of the U.S. federal government’s economic stimulus response to the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at supporting the educational sector. Here are the key details about ESSER funds based on the provided sources:
Origin and Legislative Background
- Creation: ESSER funds were established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law in March 2020.
- Expansion: The funding was subsequently expanded through two additional legislative acts: the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) in December 2020, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act in March 2021.
Funding Allocation
- Total Funding: The combined funding from these three acts amounts to approximately $190 billion, which is distributed to State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs).
- Distribution Formula: The funds are allocated based on the proportion each state received under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, in the respective fiscal years.
Purpose and Use of Funds
- Primary Purpose: The funds are intended to help safely reopen schools, sustain their operation, and address the impacts of COVID-19 on primary and secondary education.
- Allowable Uses: ESSER funds can be used for a broad range of activities, such as addressing learning loss, supporting remote learning, and implementing health and safety measures in schools[2][3][5].
- Specific Requirements: For instance, the ARP ESSER requires that at least 20% of the funds received by LEAs be used to address learning loss through evidence-based interventions[4].
Administration and Oversight
- Application Process: LEAs can access these funds through an application process managed by their respective state’s Agency of Education.
- Reporting Requirements: LEAs are required to report on the use of funds, ensuring transparency and accountability in how the funds are spent.
Expiration and Future Use
- Expiration Date: The funds are available for use until September 2024, after which any unspent funds will revert.
Additional Information
- Support for Various Needs: The funds support not only academic needs but also the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students affected by the pandemic.
In summary, ESSER funds represent a significant federal investment in K-12 education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing critical support to help schools manage and mitigate the educational disruptions caused by the health crisis.
If Lena Esmail and QUICKmed really mismanaged ESSER funds then it would be a crime of epic proportions. However, many Youngstown residents already believe that Lena Esmail is guilty. More on this in the next section:
More Details on Lena Esmail’s Criminal Past
I found a detailed discussion thread on Reddit talking about Lena Esmail, QUICKmed and the FBI raids.
Apparently, Lena had collaborated with a former school superintendent to defraud the government and the Youngstown school district.
Surprisingly, many people commented on the post, revealing more alleged illicit activities of Esmail.
Conclusion
Lena Esmail is at the crosshair of FBI and other agencies due to her alleged crimes. However, in order to hide her shady activities, her marketers are relying on deceptive claims and borderline cyber crimes. All of this to ensure people don’t find her reality.
What are your thoughts on Lena Esmail? Let us know in the comments.
Interesting article. It’s important to wait for the investigation results before jumping to conclusions. Due process is a cornerstone of our justice system.
As a resident of the area, it’s concerning to hear about potential mismanagement of funds intended for education, especially during a pandemic. Hoping for a transparent resolution.
The article provides a good overview of the situation. It’s crucial that organizations handling public funds are held accountable. Let’s see what the investigation uncovers.
The involvement of QUICKmed in school districts seemed beneficial at first glance, but these allegations cast a shadow over their operations. I’m curious about the outcome.
Thank you for the explanation of ESSER funds. The article does well in separating facts from speculation regarding the ongoing investigation.