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Former Hennepin County Employee and Husband Plead Guilty to Theft of Government Funds
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In a shocking turn of events, Robert Anthony Coleman, 45, and Yolanda Yvette Coleman, aka Yolanda Yvette Pittman, 50, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud multiple government social services programs in Minnesota. The defendants entered their guilty pleas before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, from 2002 through December 2016, Yolanda Pittman was employed by the Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD). Her job duties gave her access to computer databases used in processing applications for government benefits intended to assist low-income persons with food, medical, and other living expenses.
During this time, Pittman became romantically involved with Coleman, who was a HSPHD client prior to and continuing into their relationship. The couple was married on August 17, 2014. From October 2010 through August 2018, Pittman and Coleman conspired to fraudulently obtain Section 8 rental housing assistance subsidies, SNAP benefits, Medical Assistance benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from the Social Security Administration, and other public assistance.
The defendants concealed information and submitted false applications to the government entities responsible for implementing these programs. For example, they failed to disclose that they resided together while Coleman received Section 8, SNAP, Medical Assistance, and SSI public assistance benefits. Pittman also acted as Coleman’s Personal Care Attendant (PCA) for several years, with Coleman’s Medical Assistance benefits paying for these PCA services.
The Government contends the total loss amount, which will be established at sentencing, is $248,838. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of the Inspector General, Hennepin County Fraud Investigations Unit, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hudleston and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Middlecamp. The defendants’ guilty pleas are a significant blow to the community, and the prosecution is committed to holding accountable those who seek to exploit government programs for personal gain.
Robert Anthony Coleman and Yolanda Yvette Coleman are scheduled to be sentenced on [DATE]. They face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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