Tanisha Gray, 39, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty to wire fraud, said Acting US Attorney Justin Whatcott. Gray unlawfully received emergency rental aid from the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) and other state housing programs, which provided housing help to individuals who were unable to pay rent owing to financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
In early 2021, Congress established the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program to help eligible low-income households pay for rent, rental arrears, utilities, and other housing-related expenses during the COVID-19 epidemic.
IHFA administered the ERA program for the state of Idaho and received federal funding to offer housing assistance during the epidemic. IHFA offered emergency rent and utility assistance to eligible Idaho renters who faced financial hardship as a result of or during the COVID-19 outbreak. Eligible households may receive aid with rental arrears, as well as three months’ future rent and utilities assistance, if requested.
According to court records, Gray sought rental assistance from the IHFA and other housing programs between 2022 and 2023 by submitting fake and fraudulent applications identifying herself as a landlord for numerous homes.
Gray also supplied bogus supporting material, such as fictitious leases, property management agreements, rental arrears ledgers, tenant income records, addresses, and eligibility certifications.
Gray collected more than $62,000 in fraud proceeds as a consequence of fraudulent applications he made or caused to be submitted to several programs for emergency rental assistance in Idaho and other states.
Senior United States District Judge B. Lynn Winmill will sentence Gray on May 14. The charge in this case carries a possible sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott complimented the Boise Police Department and the United States Secret Service for their investigations, as well as the Idaho Housing and Finance Association’s help in bringing the charges. Brittney Campbell, an assistant US attorney, is prosecuting this case.