A dispute at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has erupted between Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill and the Board of Education, led by Chair Stephanie Sneed, amid allegations of extortion, cronyism and misspending tied to a contract with Raki McGregor’s company Qonnect.

Hill’s memo questions how outside firm Poyner Spruill entered into an advisory contract with Qonnect for the At Home in CMS project, noting $30,000 in CMS-billed payments and suggesting the Board and McGregor were not transparent to district leaders.

The controversy comes amid a broader CMS turmoil, including a two-month investigation into Hill, calls to remove Chair Sneed, and a memo alleging pressure on Hill to resign.

The SBI will assess potential prohibited financial transactions, while the DA’s office will not comment during the investigation.

Supporters insist that a request for an investigation does not prove wrongdoing and did not name specific accusations against CMS.

This remains a developing story with follow-up updates expected from Eyewitness News and WSOCTV.com.

The story continues to unfold, with scheduled updates on local outlets and the station’s website.

Merriweather previously asked the SBI to conduct an informal inquiry into possible financial irregularities involving CMS transactions in the current and prior fiscal years, which has escalated to a formal probe.

The escalation followed an informal inquiry into transactions dating back to fiscal year 2026 and into fiscal year 2027, which began on July 1, 2026.

The request references possible violations of North Carolina General Statutes governing local government finance or other criminal laws related to prohibited transactions.

The probe targets potential violations across CMS, not a single party or entity.

Meanwhile, several CMS top executives announced plans to retire or step down, with some retirements effective January 1, 2027.