Orlando, FL –A grand jury has returned a federal indictment charging Jason Morales (44, Chagrin Falls, Ohio) with six counts of bank fraud. If convicted, Morales faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.According to the indictment, Morales concocted and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting a financial institution. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers…

Acting Inspector General Brian D. Harrison testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) regarding oversight of programs and operations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman was sentenced today to three years in prison for wire fraud in connection with her operation of a homeless shelter focused on women and children.According to court documents, Kia A. Player, 41, won a grant to operate an inclement weather shelter for homeless women and children in the Richmond metropolitan area, named RVA Sister’s Keeper. RVA Sister’s Keeper obtained over $995,000 in governmental funding from the…

The Justice Department announced today that the owners and property managers of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that two property managers sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.“Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The…

Minneapolis, MN – Over the last week, the U.S. Marshals District of Minnesota’s North Star Fugitive Task Force, partnering with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Homeland Security and the USMS Special Operations Group conducted Operation Clean House, aimed at fugitives with active felony warrants living in government subsidized housing in the Minneapolis…

Defendant voted in the 2024 presidential election under a stolen identity; lived under stolen identity for more than 20 years; obtained a Real ID; and improperly received more than $400,000 in stolen federal benefitsBOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, was convicted today following a five-day jury trial in federal court in Boston of identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and…

BOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, was convicted today following a five-day jury trial in federal court in Boston of identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as well as voter fraud under the stolen identity. The defendant also applied for a United States passport and obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other…

Columbus, Ohio – Over the last two weeks the U.S. Marshals led Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST), the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Ohio State Highway Patrol teamed together to conduct Operation Clean House. This operation focused on fugitives with active felony arrest warrants who were residing in government subsidized housing in Columbus,…

Jacksonville, Florida – Thomas B. Hoffman (46, Florahome) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for theft of federal funds. The court also ordered Hoffman to forfeit $155,706, the proceeds of the offense, and pay restitution to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.According to court documents,…

SOUTH BEND –  Kerry T. Hancock, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.Hancock was sentenced to 2 months imprisonment followed by 8 months of supervised release with the first 3 months served on home detention and ordered to pay $115,864.84 in restitution.According to…

LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fraudulently obtaining $23 million in public money intended to combat homelessness and pocketing at least $10 million of it, including using it for a $7 million house in Westwood, $125,000 Range Rover, private school tuition for his children, private jet travel, and stays at luxury resorts.Alexander Soofer, 42, is charged with wire fraud. He was…

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jael Watts, age 44, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Luis Pino-Copete, age 41, of Bogota, Colombia, were indicted on December 4, 2025, on a wire fraud conspiracy charge related to their operation of a transportation company called Pearl Transit. Watts was separately charged with ten counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent…

Note: View settlement here. The quote has also been updated slightly.The Justice Department announced today that the owner and property manager of residential rental properties in Davenport, Iowa, have agreed to pay $325,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the property manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in…

ATLANTA - Tracy Denise Jones, a Senior Vice President at the Atlanta Housing Authority, has been charged with engaging in a scheme to fraudulently collect Section 8 housing assistance payments for her own rental property and family members. She was also charged with making fraudulent applications to collect pandemic relief funds and committing mortgage fraud when refinancing her rental property.“A long-time senior executive of one of the largest…

CLEVELAND – A Portage County man has been sentenced to federal prison for obtaining government assistance by making false and misleading statements regarding his state of health.Michael W. Honaker, 55, of Windham, Ohio, was sentenced to 31 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz, after he pleaded guilty in December 2024 to wire fraud and theft of government property. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release…

The Justice Department announced today that the owners and operators of rental properties in and around Athens County, Ohio have agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that their former rental manager, Joseph Earl Lucas, sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants of rental properties for almost twenty years, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.“No one should have to endure sexual harassment to keep a roof over his or…

Two Virginia men were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor, among other crimes.“These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information. Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies’ ability to serve the American people,” said Acting Assistant…

DETROIT — The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against William Aaron Asper, the owner and manager of rental properties located in and around Westland, Michigan, for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that William Asper sexually harassed female tenants beginning in 2018, and…

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against William Aaron Asper, the owner and manager of rental properties located in and around Westland, Michigan, for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that William Asper sexually harassed female tenants beginning in 2018 and continuing to…

Less Than 22 Months After the Arrests—Which Were the Largest Number of Federal Bribery Charges on a Single Day in Department of Justice History—All 70 Charged Defendants Have Pled Guilty or Were Convicted at Trial for Accepting Cash PaymentsUnited States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Acting Inspector General of the U.S…