McALLEN — He was just a cook at Stilettos Cabaret, a gentleman’s bar here, when Armando Jimenez met Juan Jose “JJ” Garza, the former executive director of the La Joya Housing Authority. Jimenez wanted to try something other than cooking to make a living, especially to help his daughter financially with school, so when Garza offered to work together in construction, he took it. This led to Jimenez and Garza now having to serve time in prison. On…

(Source: clickondetroit) ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Mich. - The former executive of the St. Clair Housing Commission was sentenced Wednesday in connection with the conspiracy to commit fraud and steal more than $336,000 in federal funds. Lorena Loren was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said. Loren, 55, of Nicholls, Georgia, admitted to conspiring with…

Lorena Loren, the former executive director of the St. Clair Housing Commission, was sentence today to 37 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. Schneider was joined in the announcement by Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Jeffery E. Peterson, Acting Special Agent in…

(Source: news-gazette) ROSSVILLE — All five members of the Vermilion County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners resigned Monday night out of frustration with federal officials' handling of an unpaid loan that's resulted in Longview Bank and Trust filing suit against the housing authority. Former Commissioner Terry Prillaman announced at the close of Monday night's regular meeting in Rossville that he was resigning, even though he was not a…

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that the former Duson Housing Authority director pleaded guilty to stealing more than $110,000 in funds. Patsy Clark, 60, of Duson, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna on one count of federal program theft. The plea will become final after it is approved by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, Clark was the…

(Source: Tulsa World) A former Tulsa Housing Authority executive pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to a misdemeanor charge of submitting fraudulent audits to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. LaDeanna Anderson, 55, former THA executive vice president and chief operating officer, faces a sentence of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine after pleading guilty before a magistrate in Tulsa federal court. Assistant…

(Source: fox23.com) News Video: Former Tulsa Housing Authority Execs Face Possible prison time.

A Seattle woman who defrauded programs aimed at assisting the neediest in our community was sentenced today in federal court to three years of probation, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.  DEKA HIRSI, 39, lied to obtain subsidized housing from the Seattle Housing Authority, falsely claimed that her only employment was working all night caring for her elderly parents, and claimed benefits for overnight daycare stays for her five…

(Source app.com) The former executive director of the Asbury Park Housing Authority admitted to misappropriating around $90,000 from the organization to unilaterally give himself a $50,000 salary hike, and to pay for spa services, in-room movies at hotels, strip clubs and stretch limos to take him and his family to and from the airport, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Mark W. Holmes Sr., 56, of Lawrence, who is also a…

TRENTON, N.J. – The former Jersey City Chief of Police today admitted defrauding the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) by obtaining compensation for off-duty work that he did not perform, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.  Philip D. Zacche, 61, of Manalapan, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of embezzling, stealing,…

(Source: buffalonews.com) Stephanie W. Cowart, former executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, admitted Wednesday to working with her son and daughter-in-law to steal $17,580 from the authority and the state. Cowart, who appeared before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, pleaded guilty to theft of federal funds and acknowledged signing off on a teaching job and a training program that illegally benefited the couple. Allen…

Buffalo, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Stephanie W. Cowart, 58, of Grand Island, NY, pleaded guilty to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Cowart’s son and daughter in-law, Allen, 31, and Fredia, 28, both of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty to a…

BOSTON – A Taunton woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for concealing information and making false statements in order to receive Social Security disability benefits and Section 8 housing assistance to which she was not entitled.    Marisha Ebanks, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to four months in prison, three years of supervised release, with the first three months to be…

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jamie Hussey, 35, of Gorham, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to three months in prison and one year of supervised release for federal program fraud.  She was also ordered to pay $92,877 in restitution. Court records show that between February 2014 and September 2016, the defendant embezzled money from the…

(Source: cleveland19.com) CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -A Cuyahoga County Grand Jury has indicted Cleveland's alleged Facebook Scammer Zienup Sbeih. Monday morning, Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority Police presented their case seeking an indictment on at least five counts for Housing and Food Stamp Fraud. The indictment came down with seven counts total, including five counts of Tampering with Evidence, one count of Grand Theft and one count of…

ATLANTA – Erica D. Morris has been charged with making more than $35,000 in personal purchases on a merchant credit card that the Covington Housing Authority issued her for work-related purchases. “Morris abused her position with Covington Housing Authority by ringing up more than $35,000 in personal charges,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Horn. “In effect, Morris diverted money earmarked for the low-income families for which the Covington…

(Source: covnews.com) ATLANTA – Erica D. Morris has been charged with making more than $35,000 in personal purchases on a merchant credit card that the Covington Housing Authority issued her for work-related purchases. “Morris abused her position with Covington Housing Authority by ringing up more than $35,000 in personal charges,” U.S. Attorney John A. Horn said. “In effect, Morris diverted money earmarked for the low-income families for…

CAMDEN, N.J. – The former executive director of the Ocean City, New Jersey, Housing Authority (OCHA) was sentenced today to three years of probation for embezzling federal funds received by authority from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced. Alesia Watson, 54, of Galloway Township, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams to…

(Source: coshoctontribune.com) COSHOCTON – Officials are tight lipped regarding an ongoing investigation into the Coshocton Metropolitan Housing Authority regarding possible misappropriation of funds, however the board was to meet for an emergency meeting Tuesday evening. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the director's position, according to attorney Todd Drowns. The current executive director is Greg Darr. He's been with CMHA…

COSHOCTON – The board of the Coshocton Metropolitan Housing Authority suspended Executive Director Greg Darr indefinitely without pay during a special meeting Tuesday evening. Lisa Mowery, Section 8 housing coordinator, was named interim director. The board will meet again at 8 a.m. Friday at the board office to discuss further business, including how it will handle owed sick leave and vacation time to Darr, who has been with CMHA since August…