A former high-ranking official at the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) has been sentenced to prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funds.
Venancio Diaz, 57, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for using his position to embezzle NHA funds to purchase cellular telephones and other electronic devices.
Diaz, the NHA’s former director of information technology, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with committing theft from an agency receiving federal funds. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti, who also ordered Diaz to pay $594,425 in restitution to the NHA.
According to court documents, from December 2013 to August 10, 2021, Diaz bought 1,509 electronic devices, primarily cellular telephones and tablets, from a telecommunications company using NHA funds. He then caused those devices to be activated on NHA’s account for a short period of time before selling them to online electronics resale marketplaces.
Diaz directed all the proceeds of the sales, totaling $594,425, to his own bank accounts and kept the money for his own personal use. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Diaz to three years of supervised release.
The investigation leading to Diaz’s sentencing was conducted by special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development- Office of the Inspector General and the FBI. The IRS-Criminal Investigations also provided assistance.
As a result of his illegal scheme, Diaz consented to a $594,425 money judgment, forfeiting the monies he obtained. He also agreed to forfeit electronic devices belonging to NHA that were seized by law enforcement or in his possession, including 27 cellular telephones.
Defendant: Venancio Diaz
Criminal Charge: Theft from an agency receiving federal funds
City and State: Newark, New Jersey
Exact Date: April 6, 2022
Sentence: 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release
Amount: $594,425 in restitution and $594,425 money judgment
Related Federal Cases
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- Austin T. Mahan, Embezzlement, New Jersey 2022 · Alabama
- Tammy Le, Wire Fraud, New Jersey 2019 · Maryland
- Moses Hall Swindled Homeowners Out of $1.4M, New Jersey, 2023 · New Hampshire
- Ryan S Rozycki, Tax Evasion Scheme, New Jersey 2023 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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