Countrywide Bank, Milford and Madison, Connecticut, Did Not Comply with Certain HUD Requirements in Administering Its Federal Housing Administration Insured Loan Programs
We audited the Milford, Connecticut, branch office of Countrywide Bank, FSB (Countrywide), which is a supervised national bank approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to originate, underwrite, and service Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single-family insured loans. We selected the Milford, Connecticut, branch office largely based on a lender risk analysis, which showed that the loans it originated had a higher…
July 24, 2008
Report
#2008-BO-1007
First Magnus Financial Corporation Violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act When Paying Incentives to Brokers for Generating Federal Housing Administration Mortgages
We audited the mortgage origination and business practices of First Magnus Financial Corporation’s (First Magnus) corporate office in Tucson, Arizona. The objective of the audit was to determine whether First Magnus violated U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements by paying its brokers volume-based incentives for originating and processing Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages. We determined that First…
July 14, 2008
Report
#2008-LA-1013
The City of Phoenix Housing Department’s Controls over Section 8 Tenant Eligibility and Rent Determinations Were Not Adequate
We audited the City of Phoenix Housing Department’s (Housing Department) Housing Choice Voucher program. We conducted the audit as part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) annual plan. The Housing Department was selected for review because it is the largest housing authority in the state of Arizona and had not previously been audited by OIG. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Housing Department supported tenant…
June 17, 2008
Report
#2008-LA-1011
The Housing Authority of the City of Eloy, Arizona Did Not Have Adequate Internal Controls to Safeguard Assets and Ensure Compliance with HUD’s Requirements
We audited the Housing Authority of the City of Eloy (Authority) because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had rated the Authority as troubled for five years. In 2007, the Authority had significant financials problems and terminated its executive director. We determined that the Authority did not have adequate internal controls to safeguard assets and reasonably ensure that HUD funds were used in accordance with…
May 05, 2008
Report
#2008-LA-1009
Multifamily Project Deficiencies Resulted in More Than $2.8 million in Cost Exceptions for Windham Heights Apartments, Windham, Connecticut
We audited Vesta Windham Heights, LLC (Windham Heights), after completing an audit of the owners' related project, Vesta Moosup, LLC (Moosup Gardens). The Moosup Gardens audit (OIG Audit Report Number 2007-BO-1006) disclosed cost exceptions totaling more than $700,000 related to unauthorized distributions and repayments of owner advances while in a non-surplus-cash position and unreasonable payments to identity-of-interest (related)…
February 04, 2008
Report
#2008-BO-1005
Multifamily Project Deficiencies Resulted in More Than $1.1 Million in Cost Exceptions for Mohegan Commons, Norwich, Connecticut
We audited Vesta Mohegan, LLC (Mohegan Commons), after completing an audit of the owners' related project, Vesta Moosup, LLC (Moosup Gardens). The Moosup Gardens audit (OIG Audit Report Number 2007-BO-1006) disclosed cost exceptions totaling more than $700,000 related to unauthorized distributions and repayments of owner advances while in a non-surplus-cash position and unreasonable payments to identity-of-interest (related) companies. Our…
February 03, 2008
Report
#2008-BO-1004
Multifamily Project Deficiencies Resulted in More Than $730,000 in Cost Exceptions for Moosup Gardens Apartments, Moosup, Connecticut
We audited the records for Moosup Gardens Apartments (project), a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-insured multifamily project in response to a request from HUD. Our audit objective was to determine whether the project's costs were accurately reported to HUD and in accordance with the regulatory agreement and HUD's requirements.
We identified questioned costs and opportunities for funds to be put to better use…
July 25, 2007
Report
#2007-BO-1006
New York Men Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme Involving Hartford Apartment Buildings
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two New York men were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford for engaging in a wide-ranging mortgage fraud scheme involving 24 mortgage loans on numerous multifamily housing properties in Hartford totaling nearly $50 million. JACOB DEUTSCH, 58, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 62 months of imprisonment and four years of…
Press release
January 08, 2024
Camp Verde Woman Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Embezzlement of $670,000 from Yavapai-Apache Nation
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Savannah Sandoval, 36, of Camp Verde, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sandoval also was ordered to pay over $650,000 in restitution. Sandoval pleaded guilty on August 9, 2023, to Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.Between August 2017 and May 2022, Sandoval, the former Comptroller and Executive…
Press release
November 14, 2023
Former West Haven Employee and State Representative Sentenced to Prison for Stealing COVID Relief and Other City Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL DiMASSA, 32, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed five years of supervised release, for his involvement in schemes that resulted in the theft of more than $1.2 million dollars in COVID relief funds and other funds from the City of West Haven. Judge…
Press release
May 31, 2023
Justice Department Secures $400,000 in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Connecticut Landlord
More than $10 Million Secured for Victims of Sexual Harassment Through Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement to resolve a lawsuit alleging that New London, Connecticut, landlord Richard Bruno violated the Fair Housing Act by sexually harassing female tenants and applicants. The settlement also resolves claims against Domco LLC and Domco II LLC, which…
Press release
April 20, 2023
Canton Woman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding HUD Section 8 Housing Program
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONNA CARNEY, 67, of Canton, was sentenced today by U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to one month of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) program.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in approximately 1995, Carney…
Press release
April 19, 2023
West Haven Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Scheme to Steal City’s COVID Relief Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN TRASACCO, 50, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy and fraud offenses related to a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the City of West Haven.
According to the evidence presented during a trial in this…
Press release
April 03, 2023
Former West Haven City Employee Sentenced to 13 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Relief Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN BERNARDO, 66, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the City of West Haven.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bernardo was employed…
Press release
March 22, 2023
Former West Haven Employee and State Representative Admits Stealing COVID Relief and Other City Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Christina D. Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced that MICHAEL DiMASSA, 31, of West Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in…
Press release
November 01, 2022
Former West Haven Employee and State Representative Admits Stealing COVID Relief and Other City Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Christina D. Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced that MICHAEL DiMASSA, 31, of West Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in…
Press release
November 01, 2022
Canton Woman Admits Defrauding HUD Section 8 Housing Program
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONNA CARNEY, 67, of Canton, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to one count of theft of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in approximately 1995, Carney began receiving Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance under the housing choice voucher program of…
Press release
October 12, 2022
Wife of Former West Haven City Employee Admits Role in Scheme to Steal COVID Relief Funds
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LAUREN DiMASSA, formerly known as LAUREN KNOX, 38, of West Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a conspiracy charge stemming from her role in a scheme to steal COVID relief funds from the City of West Haven.
According to court documents and statements made in court, DiMassa conspired with her husband,…
Press release
July 12, 2022