Abdallah D. Hamey, $85,000 Theft, Nevada 2017

A Las Vegas man is facing serious consequences after pleading guilty to stealing over $85,000 in public housing benefits.

Abdallah D. Hamey, 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro to one count of theft of government property and five counts of false statement to a government agency.

According to the plea agreement, from August 2009 to April 2015, Hamey stole more than $85,000 in Section 8 public housing benefits. He made false claims on at least seven applications for public housing assistance, stating that he held no bank accounts and possessed minimal assets.

In reality, Hamey owned and operated several businesses registered in his children’s names and controlled several business and personal bank accounts that received approximately $1.7 million in deposits during the time he applied for public housing assistance.

Hamey received Section 8 housing assistance to rent a house, but during the same time, he paid rent on four other houses in the Las Vegas area. He also admitted to making five false statements to HUD officials.

Hamey faces the statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of government property charge and the statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statement to a government agency charge.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2017. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig.

To report suspected fraud in a HUD program, call the HUD-OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 (Toll-Free) or e-mail HOTLINE@hudoig.gov.

Hamey’s actions are a clear example of the dangers of public housing benefit abuse. The Office of the Inspector General plays a crucial role in detecting and preventing such crimes.

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