NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
BETH PHILLIPS
Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106
www.usdoj.gov../index.html
JUNE 30, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APARTMENT MANAGER SENTENCED FOR
MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO HUD
TRADED SECTION 8 HOUSING FOR SEXUAL FAVORS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former manager of a Kansas City, Mo., apartment complex was sentenced in federal court today for making false statements to the government about the incomes of Section 8 tenants in exchange for sexual favors.
Meredith F. Sullivan, 55, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright to 16 months followed by two years supervised release. The court also ordered Sullivan to pay $34,444 in restitution.
Sullivan, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2010, was the on-site manager at Sycamore Grove Apartments, 2920 E. 17th St., Kansas City, Mo. Sullivan admitted that, from June 1, 2004, to July 1, 2009, he provided false information as to tenant income and household composition on HUD tenant certifications and re-certifications, in exchange for sexual relations (or the hope of sexual relations) with Section 8 tenants. As a result, Sullivan caused HUD to overpay Section 8 tenant rental subsidies in the approximate amount of $34,444.
Sullivan also improperly moved applications on the Section 8 waiting list ahead of other applicants in exchange for sexual relations (or the hope of sexual relations) with the applicants. By improperly bumping applicants ahead on the waiting list, Sullivan caused HUD to overpay Section 8 rental subsidies in the amount of $104,167.
As part of the scheme, Sullivan used his work computer to create 15 false letters, and forged signatures on those letters, for tenant files to corroborate the false income information provided in the tenant certification and re-certifications.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Mahoney. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at
http://www.justice.gov../index.html