Casa Otonal Multifamily Housing Project, New Haven, Connecticut, Was Not Properly Managed in Accordance with HUD Regulations
We audited the Casa Otonal multifamily housing project, located in New Haven, Connecticut, based on a referral received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Hartford Program Center. The referral disclosed compliance findings regarding the project’s audited financial statements, including instances of unauthorized loans/disbursements to an affiliate. Our primary audit objective was to determine whether the project…
August 04, 2009
Report
#2009-BO-1009
The State of Connecticut Department of Social Services Did Not Always Properly Determine or Support Tenant Eligibility and Rent Calculations for the Housing Choice Voucher Program
We initiated this audit as part of our annual audit plan to determine whether the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (agency) properly administered its Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) in compliance with its annual contributions contracts and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Our objectives focused on whether tenant eligibility, rent determinations, and annual reexaminations were…
April 08, 2009
Report
#2009-BO-1005
The Housing Authority of Douglas County, Roseburg, Oregon, Needs to Strengthen Its Internal Controls
At the request of HUD's Region X Office of Public Housing, we audited the Housing Authority of Douglas County, Oregon, (Authority) to determine whether the Authority procured goods and services in accordance with HUD regulations and its procurement policy, accounted for HUD funds in accordance with HUD's administrative requirements and managed its Housing Choice Voucher program in accordance with HUD regulations.
We found the…
January 08, 2009
Report
#2009-SE-1001
The City of Hartford, Connecticut, Did Not Always Comply with Its Annual Contributions Contracts and HUD Regulations in Administering Its Housing Choice Voucher Program
We audited the City of Hartford, Connecticut's (City) administration of its Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) as part of our annual audit plan. Our overall audit objective was to determine whether the City properly administered its Voucher program in compliance with its annual contributions contracts and HUD regulations.
The City generally administered its Voucher program in compliance with its annual contributions contracts…
January 04, 2009
Report
#2009-BO-1004
The State of Connecticut Department of Social Services Significantly Underleased Its Housing Choice Voucher Program and Did Not Always Comply with Its Annual Contributions and HUD Regulations
We initiated this audit as part of the audit plan to determine whether the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (agency) properly administered its Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) in compliance with its annual contributions contracts and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Our objectives were to determine whether the agency (1) adequately (95 percent or more) leased up its Voucher…
September 04, 2008
Report
#2008-BO-1008
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
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
Accounting for Program Income from NAHASDA-Assisted 1937 Act Housing Projects at Warm Springs Housing Authority, Warm Springs, Oregon
We audited Warm Springs Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our review of the Office of Native American Programs' guidance on calculating program income for United States Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act) housing projects assisted by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority calculated program income for NAHASDA-assisted 1937 Act…
October 30, 2007
Report
#2008-SE-1001
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
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