Topeka Man Sentenced for Fraud Against USDA Rural Development

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to a month in federal prison and ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Terry Gene Hummer, 64, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted he obtained loans from USDA Rural Development for developing housing in rural areas. He provided false information to Rural Development representing there were substantial funds on deposit in reserve accounts when in fact he had converted most of those funds for his own use. In one instance in 2009, he made false representations that a reserve account contained $29,526 when in fact there was only 69 cents in the account.

Grissom comended the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.