Consultant facing prison time worked for CCISD

May 06--An independent insurance consultant who faces up to five years in prison for fraudulent behavior counseled Corpus Christi ISD for at least three years, district officials confirmed.

William O. Haff, who pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was the "frontman" for Wortham Insurance & Risk Management when CCISD contracted the company in 2010, CCISD Chief Administrative Officer Xavier Gonzalez said. Of the five years the company was contracted by the district for its health insurance consulting services, Haff represented the San Antonio-based company for the first three and a half years, Gonzalez said.

Haff, 46, of San Antonio, admitted he engaged in fraudulent behavior while working for school districts during a window of time that precludes Wortham's contract span with CCISD.

Earlier this week, superintendent Roland Hernandez and Gonzalez said the district had no immediate plans to re-evaluate Haff's work following the guilty plea and FBI investigation. Hernandez added CCISD has not been tapped by investigators.

Gonzalez, who in his role with the district worked directly with Haff, said there weren't any inappropriate dealings.

"My relationships have been strictly above board," Gonzalez said.

The CCISD board approved an $85,000 per year contract with Wortham Insurance in July 2010.

Under Wortham's guidance, CCISD transitioned from a fully funded employee health plan to a partially self-funded plan. Wortham also helped the district select two carriers: Meritain Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. CCISD switched from Blue Cross and Blue Shield to Aetna in September.

In March 2015, the board awarded Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. a multiyear, $200,000 per year contract for health insurance consulting services.

Hernandez assured the switch to Gallagher from Wortham "had nothing to do with (Haff)."

Haff was indicted in February 2015 and pleaded guilty March 31. He admitted that while working for Wortham he also was getting paid by an insurance agent/broker to help secure contracts for its clients. Haff said from March 2008 to February 2010 he was paid about $64,000 by the Mullen Pension and Benefit Group LLP in exchange for confidential information from employee insurance plan request for proposals issued by the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio and other districts, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Haff also sought to influence the board of trustees for the districts to award contracts to clients of the Mullen Group by making formal recommendations. In July 2008, Haff accepted $2,500 for his recommendation of a Mullen Group client to the San Antonio ISD board of trustees, the news release states.

Haff sentencing is scheduled for July 13.

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