Haitian Ex-State Dept. Employee Sentenced for $156K Wire Fraud

CHARLESTON, SC — In a stunning revelation of governmental malfeasance, Roudy Pierre-Louis, a 49-year-old Haitian citizen and former State Department employee, has been sentenced to over a year in federal prison for embezzling more than $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) through wire fraud.

Pierre-Louis, who served as the sole budget analyst for the Security Coordination Office at the Embassy of Haiti, was responsible for managing all accounting lines for both the State Department and DoD. His position allowed him to receive cash advances for travel expenses, including per diem, lodging, and airfare.

Between 2015 and August 2018, Pierre-Louis submitted fraudulent vouchers with forged signatures of DoD supervisors. The unsuspecting Department of State released funds that were subsequently reimbursed by the DoD, totaling at least $156,950.

Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Pierre-Louis to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of supervision, and ordered full restitution. With no parole in the federal system, this sentence underscores the severity of the crime.

The investigation into Pierre-Louis’ embezzlement was conducted by the State Department Office of Inspector General’s Charleston Field Office and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Allessandra Stewart prosecuted the case with vigor.

This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within our governmental institutions and the importance of stringent oversight to prevent such frauds from occurring in the future.