Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured…

NEW ORLEANS - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LEESSA AUGUSTINE (“AUGUSTINE”), age 46, was indicted on September 20, 2024 for her involvement in multiple fraud schemes while employed as a Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (“S&WB”) Senior Special Agent, a position tasked with investigating the alleged misconduct of other Sewerage & Water Board employees.In one alleged scheme, AUGUSTINE, who…

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Laurel, Maryland, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and restitution of more than $50,000 following her conviction for theft of government funds from two federal agencies, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Briayell Moore, 43.In connection with Moore’s guilty plea, the Court was advised…

Program Focused on Eliminating Environmental Hazards and Combatting Sexual Misconduct in HUD-Assisted Housing.Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a seminar today focused on promoting the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing by focusing on eliminating environmental hazards…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued an audit report examining the City of New Orleans’ (the City) use of HUD’s National Disaster Resilience grant funding.  HUD’s program is designed to help state and local communities recover from past disasters, while also improving their infrastructure to withstand future extreme events through strategic community…

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Philip Abramowitz, age 50, of Pikesville, Maryland, Maryland to one year in federal prison and one year of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy for fraudulently obtaining federally insured home loans.  Judge Bennett also ordered Abramowitz to pay $373,684 in restitution and forfeit $493,037. The sentence was…

ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Lisa G. Cooper, 55, of Cottonport, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to federal program theft. The hearing was held today before United States District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to evidence presented to the court, Cooper was employed by, and an agent of, the Cottonport Housing Authority (“CHA”), which is a local government agency that provides…

ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Lisa G. Cooper, 55, of Cottonport, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to federal program theft. The hearing was held today before United States District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to evidence presented to the court, Cooper was employed by, and an agent of, the Cottonport Housing Authority (“CHA”), which is a local government agency that provides…

Baltimore, Maryland – Philip Abramowitz, age 50, of Pikesville, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  As part of his guilty plea, Abramowitz will be ordered to pay $373,684 in restitution. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Shawn A. Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector…

Defendants Allegedly Falsified Bank Statements, Misrepresented Ownership Intentions, and Allegedly Made False Statements on a Loan Application Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Philip Abramowitz, age 50, of Pikesville, Maryland, with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and Calvin Abramowitz, age 48, of Lakewood, New Jersey, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and for making…

Defendant Posed as HUD Contractor to Facilitate a Fraudulent Lien Release and Sale of Her Home Greenbelt, Maryland – Tammy Jones, a/k/a “Tammy Taylor”, age 53, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme.  As part of her plea agreement, Jones will be required to pay $111,377.12 in restitution. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of…

New Orleans, LA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Kevin Richardson, 59, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 13, 2022 by United States District Judge Susie Morgan to thirty (30) months in the Bureau of Prisons for violating Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3) and 2, use of an interstate facility with intent to carry on unlawful activity. According to the court documents, Richardson was employed…

NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that today WESLEY T. BISHOP, age 52, of New Orleans was sentenced to 4 (four) years of probation, before U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry, for making a false statement, a crime punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.  BISHOP admitted to knowingly and willfully making a false, material statement to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) in connection…