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Table of Contents

South Bend Housing Authority Executives Charged in $1M+ Scheme

The federal government has charged five individuals, including the former Executive Director of the South Bend Housing Authority, with participating in a massive scheme to defraud the agency out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to court documents, Tonya Robinson, 58, who served as Executive Director from 2014 to 2019, along with Albert Smith, 44, Tyreisha Robinson, 30, Archie Robinson III, 60, and Ronald Taylor, Jr, 42, all of South Bend, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, six counts of bank fraud, and two counts of wire fraud.

The scheme allegedly involved the creation of fraudulent payment checks for contracting work that had not actually occurred, with contractors cashing and depositing the checks while knowing that the work had not occurred. The contractors then kicked back a portion of the money to employees at the Housing Authority, including Robinson and Smith.

As Executive Director, Robinson was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the South Bend Housing Authority, which manages over 800 public housing residential units and receives hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from the federal government.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, and that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face significant prison time and fines. The exact sentence will be determined by the judge after considering federal statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The South Bend Housing Authority provides vital services to the community, and the alleged scheme is a betrayal of the public trust. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.