The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), conducted a review of Section 8 housing assistance payments made to Lynn Leggins, a landlord, for a tenant with whom he lived. The objective of our review was to determine whether Mr. Leggins received housing assistance payments that he was not eligible to receive.

HUD’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental subsidies through tenant-based vouchers for housing units chosen by the tenant in the private market. Lynn Leggins, a Section 8 landlord, fraudulently received $76,071 in Section 8 housing assistance payments for a tenant with whom he lived from about 1998 until 2010 and married in June 2002. Mr. Leggins received the housing assistance for at least the period January 2002 through January 2010. On April 12, 2012, HUD filed a complaint against Mr. Leggins, seeking civil penalties and assessments totaling $137,936, pursuant to the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, 31 U.S.C. (United States Code) Sections 3801-3812, as implemented by 24 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 28. Mr. Leggins failed to defend the action. On July 10, 2012, a HUD administrative law judge issued a default judgment and order awarding HUD the full amount sought in the complaint.