NEW ORLEANS MAN PLEADS GUILTY
TO CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT THEFT IN CONNECTION WITH A PROGRAM RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDS
EARL MYERS, age 58, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, to one count of conspiracy to commit theft in connection with a program receiving federal funds, the New Orleans Affordable Homeownership (NOAH) program, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, MYERS, d/b/a Myers & Sons and Excel Development Corporation, engaged in a conspiracy to steal funds provided by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the form of annual Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) exceeding $10,000 designed to support home remediation work to residences following Hurricane Katrina.
MYERS conspired with City Official A and others unnamed, such as Z.F., to steal federal funds dedicated to funding NOAH’s remediation program after Hurricane Katrina. MYERS received tens of thousands of dollars for work not performed and subsequently a coconspirator created false documents in an attempt to conceal the fact that work had not been performed. Funds obtained via overcharges, false billings and the generation of NOAH payments without any documentation were split in various ways between MYERS, City Official A, Z.F., and others in accordance with instructions which originated with City Official A.
Upon sentencing, set for July 19, 2012, MYERS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a $250,0000 fine, three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, the U. S Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, Fred P. Harper, Jr.
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