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 Newark…

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 he…

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.…

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…

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Ariel Solis Veleta, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, for sexually harassing female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Solis was employed as a leasing agent and property manager at St. Anthony Plaza Apartments in Albuquerque between 2010 and 2022.The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, alleges that between 2010 and 2022, Solis requested sex acts…

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Bertrand Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Southcentral Region, announced today that landlords for properties located in Roswell and Albuquerque paid $30,000 and $12,000, respectively to settle allegations that they violated the anti-fraud False Claims Act by charging…

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was sentenced today to time already served – 20 months – for conspiring to commit mortgage fraud, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Cabral Simpson, 47, of Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals imposed the sentence today in Newark…

CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic City woman today admitted engaging in a fraudulent scheme through which she defrauded elderly victims of over $100,000, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.Victoria Crosby, 46, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging her with wire fraud.According to documents filed in the case and…

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 him with conspiring to commit wire fraud. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Simpson, a real estate investor,…

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman pleaded guilty today to stealing over $1.5 million from over 100 victims made up mainly of non-profits, private schools, and religious institutions throughout New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Yezenia Castillo, 46, of Hoboken, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S District Judge Susan D. Wigenton, to an information charging her with one count each of wire fraud and tax…

NEWARK, N.J. – Newark Housing Authority (NHA)’s former director of information technology was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for using his position to embezzle NHA funds to purchase cellular telephones and other electronic devices, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Venancio Diaz, 57, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information…

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted committing wire fraud and making false reports and statements to and for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Shenandoah Adams Sr., aka “Shane Adams Sr.,” 56, of New Providence, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to one count of an indictment charging him with wire fraud and an…

NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Newark Municipal Council and Board of Directors of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC) today admitted scheming to obtain bribes and kickbacks and subscribing to a false personal tax return for 2018, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Joseph A. McCallum Jr., 66, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an information charging him with one count…

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiring to obtain mortgage loans to finance the sale of properties to unqualified buyers, securities fraud by inducing a victim into investing over $1.2 million into real estate companies under false pretenses, and violation of supervised release, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced. Maurice Bethea, 54, of Newark, previously…

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiring to obtain mortgage loans to finance the sale of properties to unqualified buyers, securities fraud by inducing a victim into investing over $1.2 million into real estate companies under false pretenses, and violation of supervised release, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced. Maurice Bethea, 54, of Newark, previously…

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Fred J. Federici today announced a settlement agreement with the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club to resolve issues involving two special project grants awarded to the Club. According to the settlement agreement, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded two grants to the Club to purchase land for construction of a new facility. HUD granted the Club $268,245…

Club to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations of False Claims Act violations ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Fred J. Federici today announced a settlement agreement with the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club to resolve issues involving two special project grants awarded to the Club. According to the settlement agreement, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded two grants to the Club to…