U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General

As we approach 2025, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

ICYMI: Former landlord in Virginia, David Merryman, sentenced to 17 years in prison for, among other things, violating minority tenants’ right to occupy and lease a dwelling free from racially motivated harassment, threats, and force. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e4YY6MHe

ICYMI: Audit reveals HUD needs to improve its oversight of Project Based Rental Assistance and FHA-insured project-based voucher properties converted under the Rental Assistance Demonstration program. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ezxYT5ef

From all of us at HUD OIG we wish you a holiday season filled with peace, joy and health. 

Hampton, VA man sentenced today to 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eQ3fyhpx

Our recent report identified HUD had not included a required anti-gag provision in certain nondisclosure policies, forms, and agreements. This may discourage employees from exercising their legally protected whistleblower rights. To learn more, including our recommendations, click here: https://lnkd.in/ehhQgqZv

HUD OIG joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to announce a civil lawsuit against multiple defendants alleging a dozen years of violations related to lead-based paint in more than 2,500 apartments in low and moderate-income neighborhoods. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ apartments are riddled with peeling lead paint and lead dust; infested by rats, mice, and roaches; damp from perpetual leaks and covered with growing mold; and otherwise, a danger to human health. More than 130 children living in the defendants’ apartments have tested positive for elevated blood-lead levels since 2012. The parties filed a consent decree that would resolve the lawsuit and impose extensive relief, including requiring the defendants to pay $3.575 million in penalties and $2.925 million in restitution to affected tenants, and requiring defendants to identify and abate all lead-based paint and remediate substandard housing conditions across more than 2,500 apartments, subject to the oversight of an independent housing specialist selected by the U.S. and New York State. “The defendants’ failure to maintain safe and healthy living conditions for tenants, particularly the hundreds of children who have tested positive for elevated blood-lead levels, is simply unacceptable. This consent decree holds the defendants accountable for their egregious conduct. It provides important relief for victims and will require the defendants to take meaningful action to protect tenants from future exposure to health hazards,” said IG Rae Oliver Davis. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gWfRiAbA

Working with partners like the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) offers us opportunities to spread the word about strategies to prevent and detect fraud. See the latest chapter in their series: Blueprint for Enhanced Program Integrity here: https://lnkd.in/emuGsji6

Celebrating Our People! Meet Toccaro Greene, HUD OIG's Chief Information Officer.

Three Texas women have been charged with federal violations related to a mortgage fraud scheme HUD OIG joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas to announce the indictment of three women for violations related to a mortgage fraud scheme. According to information presented in court, beginning in 2017, the defendants, along with others, allegedly operated a mortgage fraud scheme using various companies, including Short Sale Queen, L.L.C. The defendants researched and located properties that were in the pre-foreclosure short sale process and approached the homeowners about listing the properties for sale. After signing a listing agreement with the homeowners, the defendants submitted various fraudulent documents to financial institutions and mortgage companies for the purpose of freezing or halting the foreclosure process. The defendants are alleged to have fraudulently submitted documents for at least 88 properties totaling over $8 million in sales, obtained at least $390,000 in commissions and processing fees, and caused at least $2.5 million in losses to these financial institutions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eb4bGFkc