ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES MOTHER, SON OVER ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING HOUSING AUTHORITIES

July 02, 2024

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced charges against a Cook County mother and her son for allegedly falsifying documents and fraudulently receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chicago, state and federal government assistance funds for which they were not eligible.

Attorney General Raoul charged Chicago residents Gwendolyn J. Martin, 59, and her son, Lawrence Amos, 43, in Cook County Circuit Court over allegations of fraud committed against the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

"Without the assistance provided by the Housing Choice Voucher Program, many families in need would have nowhere to turn for housing support. It is unconscionable any individual would take advantage of this vital program," Raoul said. "I am committed to ensuring that individuals are held accountable for exploiting government programs, particularly when families across our city are waitlisted until the support they deserve is available."

The case was investigated by the CHA Inspector General's office.

"The CHA Office of the Inspector General is gratified to see these crimes aggressively prosecuted," said Kathryn Richards, Inspector General for the CHA. "Martin and Amos engaged in a long-running, sophisticated financial fraud for many years, falsifying multiple government records, misrepresenting their identities, and profiting off of CHA's scarce housing voucher resources, while depriving those in need of housing from getting the assistance they need."

Martin faces the following charges based on three indictments:

• One count of theft of governmental funds over $100,000, a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
• One count of theft of governmental property between $10,000 and $100,000, a Class 1 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
• One count of theft by deception between $10,000 and $100,000, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
• Three counts of wire fraud, Class 3 felonies, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
• Eight counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
• One count of loan fraud, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
• One count of income tax fraud, a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in prison.

Attorney General Raoul's office charged Amos with the following based on two indictments:

• One count of theft of government funds over $100,000, a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
• One count of theft by deception between $10,000 and $100,000, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
• Three counts of wire fraud, Class 3 felonies, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
• One count of loan fraud, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
• Six counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
• One count of income tax fraud, a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in prison.

Sentences are ultimately determined by the court.

Raoul's office alleges Martin fraudulently received housing choice voucher benefits through the CHA by not reporting a home she owned. According to the charges, Martin and Amos allegedly engaged in a scheme where Amos was listed as the agent and manager of properties Martin would rent with her fraudulently obtained CHA voucher. Amos is alleged to have then pocketed the CHA funds, as Martin never informed property owners she was a CHA voucher recipient.

According to Raoul's charges, Martin and Amos allegedly continued a pattern of defrauding the CHA for years, as Amos kept voucher funds, and landlords were left without payment. Raoul's office alleges $236,904 was allegedly paid between December 2008 and May 2024 as a result of Martin's voucher, while $158,519 was paid directly to Amos as a result of the voucher. Raoul also alleges Martin submitted falsified documents to the IHDA to obtain rental assistance.

Additionally, the Attorney General's office charged Martin and Amos with fraudulently applying for and receiving funds from the Paycheck Protection Program through the SBA for businesses that did not exist.

The public is reminded the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Assistant Attorney General Haley Bookhout is prosecuting the case for Raoul's Public Integrity Bureau.