A former North Carolina Department of Corrections officer has pleaded guilty to a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, netting her up to 10 years in prison.
Tana Eguasa Hill, 43, a correctional officer with the North Carolina Department of Corrections, submitted fictitious tenant lease agreements for multiple properties in Hertford County as part of her NC HOPE loan applications. The NC HOPE program was designed to provide emergency rental assistance to North Carolina renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hill’s scheme was uncovered as part of a wider investigation into COVID-19 relief fraud in North Carolina. Her husband, Sean Dillard, was sentenced in November 2023 for the same crime.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread economic hardship to the United States, prompting Congress to enact the CARES Act in March 2020. The act allocated $5 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs to help states and localities respond to the pandemic.
The State of North Carolina’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency utilized federal funds to establish the NC HOPE program, which provided housing and utility assistance to North Carolina renters. The program was funded with an initial $51.5 million allocation of CDBG funds and $66 million in CRF funds.
Hill’s guilty plea was accepted by United States Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones, Jr. Sentencing will occur before United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan later this year. The FBI is leading the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes prosecuting the case.
The NC HOPE program was designed to help North Carolina renters stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Hill’s scheme shows that some individuals exploited the program for personal gain.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for 2:24-CR-00003-FL.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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