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Bribes for Housing Spots Land Two in Hot Water
Two former employees of Roxse Homes, a subsidized housing development in Boston, have pleaded guilty to taking bribes in exchange for renting apartments to individuals who were not qualified for the housing.
Mathis Lemons, 42, of Brockton, pleaded guilty today, while Ismael Morales, 36, of Jamaica Plain, pleaded guilty on Monday, May 2, 2016. Both men face serious consequences, with Lemons scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20, 2016, and Morales on Aug. 3, 2016.
The scheme, which ran from September 2014 to February 2015, involved Morales soliciting and accepting money from individuals who were not on the waitlist for Roxse Homes apartments. He would then provide them with blank rental applications, and instruct them to date the applications to 2006 or 2009, when in fact they were completed in 2014.
Lemons, who worked as the assistant property manager, would then add the unqualified individuals to the Roxse Homes computerized waitlist, and falsely input their application dates. This allowed the individuals to receive subsidized housing benefits, while the Roxse Homes waitlist remained closed to external applicants.
The consequences of their actions are severe, with the charge of conspiracy carrying a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bribery provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Eugenia M. Carris of U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, New York Regional Office, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, the Inspector General of Massachusetts, and the Boston Police Department.
The plea agreements are a significant blow to the corruption in the housing industry, and a reminder that those who engage in such activities will be held accountable. The Roxse Homes case serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit the system for personal gain.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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