We audited the Municipality of Rio Grande’s (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program and whether the…

We audited the State of Mississippi's (State) administration of the $5.058 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery funds provided to the State in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The State allocated $2.2 billion to help homeowners in southern Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. Our audit objective was to determine whether the State ensured that applicants were eligible to receive disbursements under…

We audited the State of Mississippi's (State) administration of the $5.058 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery funds provided to the State in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The State allocated $2.2 billion to help homeowners in southern Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. During our audit on grant eligibility, we identified a few possible duplicate payments when reviewing the State's…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the Authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies, properly determined the eligibility of tenants, and recertified tenants in a timely manner.…

We reviewed Doral Bank Puerto Rico (Doral), an approved issuer for the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Our objective was to determine whether Doral complied with Ginnie Mae requirements associated with its mortgage-backed securities activities. The review was initiated in connection with the 2007 Ginnie Mae financial statement audit. Doral did not fully comply with Ginnie Mae requirements because it maintained seven…

We audited the Municipality of Carolina's (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Caguas (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies. Of the 10 units…

We audited the State of Mississippi's Development Authority's (Authority) Homeowners Assistance Program (Program), implemented by Reznick Group and Reznick Mississippi, LLC (contractor). We initiated the audit in conjunction with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Gulf Coast Region's audit plan and examination of relief efforts provided by the federal government in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Our audit…

We audited the Homeowner's Assistance Grant Program (Program), a component of the State of Mississippi's (State) administration of the $5.058 billion in Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery funds provided to the State in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The State allocated $3 billion to help homeowners in Southern Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. The audit objectives were to determine whether the State and/…

We audited the Municipality of Canovanas' (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Ponce (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly paid program landlords and properly determined housing…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited the State of Mississippi's (State) calculation of homeowners' grant amounts and monitoring of the implementation of its Homeowner's Assistance Grant Program. Our audit was part of the activities in our annual audit plan. Our objectives were to determine whether the State appropriately calculated the homeowners' grant amounts and monitored the…

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…

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…