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Report Fraud, Waste and Abuse
Date Published
November 12, 2019
News Type
Press Release
Link to Original
USAO, District of Minnesota

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a felony information charging CLARISSA LYNN COMBS, 48, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and false statements. COMBS will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date. BRIDGIT YVETTE MICHAUD, 54, JALONDA LEEANN COMBS, 37, and AUDREY SEBILETTA HEATH, 34 were also charged via felony information with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in the conspiracy.[1] Five defendants previously pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in the conspiracy. 

According to the allegations in the information, between April 2012 and February 2019, COMBS, a former program manager for a Twin Cities non-profit organization that provides housing and related services to the homeless, devised and participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain at least $684,081.90 in charitable funds from the organization. As part of the scheme, COMBS recruited other employees of the non-profit, as well as her family and friends, to pose as fictitious homeless clients. During the course of the investigation of the alleged conduct, COMBS made false statements to Special Agents of the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a United States Postal Inspector, at the United States Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis, in the District of Minnesota. 

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

Assistant United States Attorney Miranda E. Dugi is prosecuting the case.

 

Defendant Information:

CLARISSA LYNN COMBS, 48

Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Charges:

  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
  • False statements, 1 count

 

BRIDGIT YVETTE MICHAUD, 54

Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:

  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count

 

JALONDA LEEANN COMBS, 37

Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Charges:

  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count

 

AUDREY SEBILETTA HEATH, 34

Woodbury, Minn.

Charges:

  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count