We completed an audit of the Housing Authority of the City of Asbury Park, Asbury Park, New Jersey. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether (1) capital funds were properly expended and obligated in accordance with HUD requirements, (2) salaries and related benefits allocated to different programs were reasonable and supported, and (3) controls over maintenance and repairs were adequate. The Authority did not adequately administer…

NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark-based expediter today admitted to conspiring to give bribes to Newark public officials, including then-Newark Councilmember Joseph A. McCallum, Jr., in connection with real estate development and construction-related transactions and conspiring with others to create and sell falsified documents supposedly issued by the City of Newark in connection with development, construction, rental or sale of such properties in…

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.According to court documents, David L. Merryman, 59, owned 39 rental properties in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton.  Many of Merryman’s rental properties were in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. He primarily rented the properties to…

NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark business owner today admitted bribing a former city official in exchange for that official’s assistance in acquiring and redeveloping Newark-owned properties, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.Irwin Sablosky, 64, of Springfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to two counts of an indictment charging him with honest services fraud and bribery.“As…

RICHMOND, Va. – U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a Safe Housing Summit in Richmond on Sept. 16 focused on combatting sexual misconduct, promoting environmental justice, and protecting the civil rights of residents in HUD-assisted housing.The summit was attended by representatives from a number of organizations,…

TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man and a Mercer County, New Jersey, man made their initial court appearances today on charges of participating in a conspiracy to obtain overtime payments from the city of Trenton for work they did not perform, by fraudulently inflating the overtime hours they claimed to have worked conducting residential lead inspections and meal deliveries to needy Trenton residents, U.S. Attorney Philip R.…

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pled guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.According to court documents, David L. Merryman, 59, owns 39 rental properties in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton.  Many of Merryman’s rental properties were in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. He primarily rented the properties to underprivileged African American…

Program Focused on Combatting Sexual Harassment in Housing and Eliminating Environmental Hazards in HUD-Assisted HousingNEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis hosted a summit today focused on promoting the health, safety, and civil rights of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing. The program focused on combatting…

NEWARK, N.J. – A former city of Newark official who served as deputy mayor and director of the Newark Department Economic and Housing Development (DEHD) and served as executive vice president and chief real estate officer of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC) today admitted conspiring with two Newark business owners to obtain corrupt payments intended to influence and reward him for assisting the business owners with…