Fraud of the Day: Category - Public Housing Fraud

Two New Yorkers Face Charges in Connection with Public Housing Fraud Cases

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, “Manhattan Man, Queens Woman Busted for Housing Fraud,” written by Trevor Kapp and published by DNAInfo.com on April 26, 2012.

MANHATTAN — Two people were arrested in separate housing-fraud scams, authorities announced Thursday.

Sherwan Gamble, 52, was charged Tuesday with theft of public funds after he allegedly leased a NYC Housing Authority apartment, then advertised it as a sublet on Craigslist and charged his tenants $850 a month — all while living in the state of Washington since 2001.

Woman Accused of Cheating the Public Housing Authority

Commentary by: Larry Benson

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, “Pocono Summit Woman Accused of Section 8 Housing Fraud,” published by the Pocono Record on April 4, 2012.

The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office Detective Division charged Loretta Foreman, 46, of Pocono Summit with fraudulently receiving $22,624 in Section 8 benefits.

An investigation began in 2011 when a tip was received by the Housing Authority of Monroe County claiming that she had several additional people living in the home but had failed to advise the Housing Authority of their presence.

A Public Housing Fraudster Moves to the Big House

Commentary by: Larry Benson

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled “Local woman guilty of housing fraud,” written by Jeremy Pittari, published by The Picayune Item, February, 28, 2012.

PICAYUNE — Picayune resident Stephanie Ordogne pleaded guilty on Wednesday to making false or fraudulent statements to the Picayune Public Housing Authority and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A suit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi Southern Division states Ordogne provided the Public Housing Authority with false information in 2006 for an annual re-certification application stating her income was the same as the previous year. The suit states she was actually renting the property to others while living in HUD-funded housing as part of Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance in another state.

One Too Many Houses

Commentary by: Larry Benson

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, “Weston Couple Indicted In Connection with Section 8 Fraud,” published by GateHouse News Service, February 2, 2012.

WESTON —A Weston couple has been indicted in connection with fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in Section 8 public housing subsidies, and defrauding mortgage lenders of more than $250,000, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced on Thursday.

Paulo Montenegro, 45, and his wife, Rosana Pereira, 48, were each indicted on charges of larceny by false pretense (three counts) and conspiracy to commit larceny by false pretense (three counts), in connection with fraudulently obtaining Section 8 public housing benefits and fraudulently obtaining mortgage loans from financial lending institutions.

Housing Authority Puts 2 and 2 Together

Commentary by: Larry Benson

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, “Worcester checks cars to catch housing cheaters” by the Associated Press, November 28, 2011.

WORCESTER, Mass.—The Worcester Housing Authority is cracking down on people living in public housing fraudulently by checking residents’ cars.

Authority officials say expensive cars, and even boats, are often clues that residents’ income is too high to qualify for public housing. Expensive cars may also indicate an unauthorized person living in an apartment.

Housing Authority Board Member Commits Fraud (on the Housing Authority)

Commentary by: Larry Benson

Today’s “Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, “Brooksville Housing Authority board member charged with grand theft, fraud,” by Tony Marrero in the St. Petersburg Times, November 10, 2011.

BROOKSVILLE — Brooksville police Chief George Turner came to the Brooksville Housing Authority board meeting last month with a concern.

Turner told the board that two of his officers had recently accompanied a man who was moving out of an apartment at Hillside Estates, one of the authority’s two subsidized housing complexes. The man wanted a police escort because he lived there with the mother of his toddler, and he thought things might get tense, Turner said.