NORFOLK, Va. – A mother-daughter duo from North Carolina has been sentenced to prison for defrauding the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, a federally-funded program that feeds children during the summer months. Cindy Hall, 41, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
Hall and her mother, Stephanie Almond, 61, pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions. The duo operated a non-profit organization called Send Thee Community Outreach, which allegedly administered the Summer Food Service Program in Virginia. However, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) discovered that Hall submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement in 2012 and 2013, resulting in almost $250,000 in overpayment to Hall.
Hall was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis on [February 3, 2023]. She was also ordered to pay $249,225.75 in restitution to the Virginia Department of Health. Almond, who previously ran her own non-profit organization, Neighborhood Pride, was sentenced on June 29, 2023, to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $249,225.75 in restitution.
The scheme was uncovered by investigators, who discovered that Hall continued to be involved with the program even after being told she was disqualified by VDH in 2014. Hall’s organization, Send Thee Community Outreach, was allegedly used to funnel funds into the duo’s pockets.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi and Kevin Hudson. The investigation was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General’s Office.
Cindy Hall, 41, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $249,225.75 in restitution. Stephanie Almond, 61, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $249,225.75 in restitution.
Defendant: Cindy Hall
Criminal Charges: Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, Unlawful Monetary Transactions
City and State: Norfolk, Virginia
Exact Date: February 3, 2023 (sentencing)
Sentence: 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $249,225.75 in restitution
Dollar Amount: $249,225.75
Related Federal Cases
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- Chadwick Stanley Ghesquiere, Murder-for-Hire, Virginia 2016 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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