We audited the Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) at the Holyoke Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our fiscal year 2007 annual audit plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority administered the Voucher program in accordance with its annual contributions contracts and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. Our efforts focused on whether the Authority properly (1)…

We reviewed the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs administered by the Community Development Agency, City of Fall River, Massachusetts (City) as part of our annual audit plan. Our audit objective was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG and HOME programs in compliance with U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. We focused on whether the City: (1…

As part of our annual plan, we audited the Office of Housing and Community Development, City of New Bedford, Massachusetts' (City) administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs. Our audit objective was to determine whether the City complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations in administering its CDBG and HOME programs. The City generally…

As part of our annual plan, we audited the Office of Community Development, City of Chicopee, Massachusetts' (City) administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs. The objective of the audit was to evaluate the City's administration of its housing rehabilitation contracts funded through the CDBG or HOME programs and its oversight and monitoring of various for-profit developers (developers) involved in…

BOSTON – A Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation. Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant participating in a federal housing subsidy program.The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal…

FBI continues with the investigation and is searching for possible victims.SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Ángel Alexis Vázquez Sánchez, 25, of Jayuya, PR, for child exploitation.According to court documents, from December 2021 throughout May 2023, Ángel Alexis Vázquez Sánchez sexually exploited four different minor females, between the ages of 12 and 16, with the intent…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez, President of FiveStar Pest Control Inc. (FiveStar), and Luis O. Agosto-Meléndez, President of CoolBreeze Air Conditioning, Inc. (CoolBreeze) pleaded guilty to the theft of federal program funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the administration of Public Housing Projects (PHPs) in Puerto Rico.According to court documents, Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued an audit report that found the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (PRDOH) needs to enhance its fraud risk management practices to better protect over $20 billion in grant funding provided through HUD’s disaster recovery programs in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. HUD OIG’s audit found that PRDOH’s fraud risk…

Defendant purchased alpaca farm using fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds BOSTON – A former North Shore resident was sentenced today in connection with filing fraudulent applications for more than $660,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds and using those funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of an alpaca farm in Vermont. Dana L. McIntyre, 59, of Grafton, Vt. and previously of Beverly and Essex, Mass., was…

BOSTON – An individual pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen. Alexander Villalona Diaz, 37, previously of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2023. In December 2020, Villalona Diaz was indicted by a…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Today, United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez Rivé sentenced Walter Pierluisi Isern, Eduardo Pierluisi Isern, and American Management and Administration Corporation (AMAC). The defendants pleaded guilty in April to one count of Theft of Federal Program Funds in relation to the misappropriation of operational funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On June 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 40 violent gang members from the municipality of San Juan with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by the FBI…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Walter Pierluisi Isern, Eduardo Pierluisi Isern, and American Management and Administration Corporation (AMAC) pleaded guilty today to one count of Theft of Federal Program Funds in relation to the misappropriation of operational funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the administration of public housing projects (PHPs) in Puerto Rico. According to court…

BOSTON – A Holyoke landlord, Carmen Manix, has agreed to pay a $15,000 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving illegal utility payments from a low-income tenant while participating in a federal housing subsidy program. The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal funding to low-income individuals to help them secure safe and affordable housing. The Department…

BOSTON – A Wakefield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen fraudulent loan transactions and $4.3 million in losses to lenders. Joseph Bates III, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2018, Bates pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud…

BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. real estate developer was sentenced to four years in prison today in connection with a decade-long mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen loan transactions, totaling $6.5 million, that resulted in more than $3.8 million in losses to lenders. George Kritopoulos, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to four years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The judge…

BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. real estate developer was sentenced to four years in prison today in connection with a decade-long mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen loan transactions, totaling $6.5 million, that resulted in more than $3.8 million in losses to lenders. George Kritopoulos, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to four years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The judge…