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Linda Harvey-Irvin, Donald Walton, Markuntala Croom, Federal Program Fraud, Mississippi 2023
Three individuals have been indicted for conspiring to embezzle money from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Action Agency, an organization that receives more than $10,000 in federal funding each year.
Linda Harvey-Irvin, 62, of Jackson, Donald Walton, 51, of Vicksburg, and Markuntala Croom, 45, of Columbia, Mississippi, were charged with conspiracy to commit federal program fraud by accepting and paying bribes.
Harvey-Irvin, the former Director of the GCCAA and Director of the associated Head Start Program, is charged in one indictment with Donald Walton, owner and operator of Walton Construction, with conspiracy to commit federal program fraud by accepting and paying bribes.
According to the indictment, Harvey-Irvin accepted money from Walton in exchange for awarding construction contracts. It is alleged that GCCAA paid Walton approximately $365,282.20 during the course of the conspiracy and Walton, in turn, paid Harvey-Irvin $31,000 in kickbacks for the awarding of those contracts.
A second indictment charges Harvey-Irvin and Markuntala Croom, owner and operator of Croom Management Services, with conspiracy to commit federal program fraud by accepting and paying bribes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the indictment, Harvey-Irvin accepted money from Croom in exchange for awarding contracts for consulting work. It is alleged that GCCAA paid Croom approximately $649,047 during the course of the conspiracy and Croom, in turn, paid Harvey-Irvin $91,961.49 in kickbacks for the awarding of those contracts.
The maximum statutory penalties for the offenses charged are: five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count for conspiracy, ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count for accepting and paying bribes, and 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine per count for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Linda Harvey-Irvin, Donald Walton, Markuntala Croom
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit federal program fraud by accepting and paying bribes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering
City and State: Jackson, Mississippi
Date: N/A (indictment announced)
Sentence or Outcome: pending trial
Dollar Amounts: $365,282.20, $649,047, $31,000, $91,961.49
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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