Justice Department Obtains Consent Decree in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owners of Minneapolis Area Rental Properties
MINNEAPOLIS – The Justice Department today announced that it has obtained a consent decree with Reese Pfeiffer and several other defendants to resolve allegations that Pfeiffer violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by subjecting 23 women to severe and repeated sexual harassment and retaliation at Read More
October 25, 2021
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Independence Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for $2.2 Million Fraud Schemes
Sold Stolen Rental Equipment, Real Estate He Didn’t Own
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for two fraud schemes in which he sold unwitting victims rental equipment and real estate that did not belong to him.
Jeremy Ace Woods, 46, was sentenced by U. Read More
September 20, 2023
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Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced in Online Romance Fraud Conspiracy
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to prison, probation, and owe over $500,000 in restitution for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims in romance fraud schemes, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in Read More
September 18, 2023
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HUD Assisted Grantees in Navigating the ONAP COVID-19 Recovery Programs, but Grantees
Reported Challenges
Consider grantee feedback on the challenges they faced as part of ONAP’s planning for technical assistance and training of ONAP COVID-19 recovery program grantees.
Open Recommendation
Essex County Man Admits Conspiring to Commit Mortgage Fraud
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man today admitted that he conspired with others to commit mortgage fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Cabral Simpson, 46, of Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging Read More
September 06, 2023
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Justice Department Sues Ohio Landlord for Sexually Harassing Tenants
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Joseph Earl Lucas of Amesville, Ohio, for sexually harassing female tenants and housing applicants in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Lucas has owned and managed more than 70 residential rental properties in and around Athens County, Ohio. Read More
August 31, 2023
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Former Raleigh County Housing Director Sentenced for Federal Fraud Crime
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Laquenta Lowe, 46, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $8,954.76 in restitution for conversion of public money exceeding $1,000. Lowe admitted to stealing at least $7,978.91 in federal funds while employed by the Raleigh County Read More
September 01, 2023
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Six Oklahomans Charged with Cares Act Fraud
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, a criminal indictment was unsealed charging six Oklahoma residents with fraudulently obtaining nearly $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a sealed, 28 Read More
September 01, 2023
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Former North Shore Pizzeria Owner Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for COVID Fraud
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 Read More
August 30, 2023
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HUD Office of Inspector General Priority Initiatives Toolkits
Toolkits are provided for multiple subjects.Please review the list below for more information.
Basic page
FAQs
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent federal agency that conducts audits, evaluations, and investigations, to safeguard HUD’s programs and operations from fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. The Office of Read More
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USDA Employee and Others Indicted for Public Corruption
McALLEN, Texas - A 51-year-old Rio Grande City resident and employee of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been charged with bribery of public officials and witnesses, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Roberto Rodriguez, 51, turned himself in to authorities today. He is Read More
August 24, 2023
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Hawaii Wildfires: Fraud Risk Awareness for Affected Residents
The devastating and tragic wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui, like many natural disasters, have caused hardship conditions that leave individual, businesses, and communities vulnerable to bad actors who take advantage of those impacted by these severe weather emergencies.
Fraud Bulletins or Alert
Albert Lea Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Over $200,000 in Public Housing Rent Payments
MINNEAPOLIS – An Albert Lea woman has been sentenced to a year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and is required to pay $213,217 in restitution for stealing public housing rent payments, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between January Read More
August 11, 2023
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Cincinnati woman charged with crimes related to making false racial discrimination claims against landlord
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati tenant is charged with federal crimes related to making false statements accusing her landlord of violating the Fair Housing Act.
Dermisha Pickett, 33, allegedly fabricated messages from her landlord stating the landlord did not want Black tenants. Pickett appeared in Read More
August 17, 2023
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Individual Pleads Guilty to False Identity Crime
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 Read More
August 15, 2023
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Georgia man sentenced to prison for COVID-19 relief fraud two years after being sentenced by the same court for mortgage fraud
ATLANTA - Maurice Lawson has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining nearly a half a million dollars by submitting multiple fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications.
“Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program to provide Read More
August 16, 2023
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San Francisco Man Charged With Stealing More Than $340,000 In Section 8 Housing Benefits
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Gregory Finkelson with conspiracy, theft of government property, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, United States Department Read More
July 26, 2023
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Disaster Recovery Data Portal
We recommend that the General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy Development and Research, and the Deputy Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer develop the project management documents, as required by HUD’s Project Planning and Management Life Cycle V2.0 Read More
Open Recommendation
Disaster Recovery Data Portal
We recommend that the General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy Development and Research; the Deputy Chief Information Officer; and the Director, Office of Disaster Recovery, identify and incorporate at least one additional data source into the Disaster Recovery Data Portal to further Read More
Open Recommendation