Lynnwood Couple Scammed Needy, Hit With Prison

LYNNWOOD, WA – A brazen scheme to bilk programs designed for the truly needy landed Igor Meyer, 47, and Zoya Mushailova, 35, of Lynnwood, Washington, in federal court – and ultimately, behind bars. The couple was sentenced today for multiple counts of mail fraud and theft of government funds, a calculated deception that prosecutors say eroded public trust and deprived vulnerable families of critical assistance.

Despite a combined household income of approximately $100,000 and homeownership, Meyer and Mushailova systematically defrauded state and federal agencies over a three-year period, amassing more than $70,000 in illicit benefits. The scheme, revealed during a jury trial in October 2012 following an October 2011 indictment, involved a complex web of lies and manipulated paperwork. Meyer falsely presented himself as a single father of four with an income under $12,000 annually, qualifying him for housing and other government aid.

The couple went to elaborate lengths to maintain the facade. They purchased a Lynnwood condominium in Mushailova’s name, then used a property management company to ‘rent’ it to Meyer, claiming he was a former in-law. This allowed them to falsely establish a need for housing assistance. But the deception didn’t stop there. Mushailova also owned a rental property in Arizona – a fact conveniently omitted from their applications. While collecting benefits meant for the impoverished, the couple indulged in a lavish lifestyle, driving luxury cars and jetting off on cross-country and international vacations.

The audacity of their fraud was laid bare when Meyer submitted a declaration to the housing program *while returning from a trip to New York and Mount Rushmore*. In it, he claimed Mushailova was his “ex-wife” and he had no knowledge of her whereabouts – a blatant lie designed to further conceal their true financial status. Prosecutors argued that the couple’s actions weren’t merely financial crimes, but a direct attack on the social safety net.

“Defendants exploited social programs intended for the poor,” the sentencing memo stated. “By fraudulently collecting housing benefits they did not need, they denied truly needy families the opportunity to obtain decent housing. They stole funds intended to provide food, cash and medical assistance to the poor. In short, defendants enriched themselves by victimizing the most vulnerable members of the community.” The average wait time for housing assistance in Snohomish County is six years, a fact not lost on U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik, who described the scheme as having a “real corrosive impact on society.”

Meyer and Mushailova each received a sentence of 30 days in prison, followed by six months of home detention and three years of supervised release. The case was a joint effort by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the Department of Social and Health Services Office of Fraud and Accountability. Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Vaughan and Seth Wilkinson – a specially designated attorney from the Social Security Administration – secured the convictions and sentencing.