Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Over $85,000 in Section 8 Housing Assistance Benefits

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today for stealing more than $85,000 in public housing benefits over a six-year period and for providing false statements to a government agency, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.

Abdallah D. Hamey, 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro to one count of theft of government property and five counts of false statement to a government agency.

According to the plea agreement, from August 2009 to April 2015, Hamey stole more than $85,000 in Section 8 public housing benefits. On at least seven applications for public housing assistance, Hamey falsely claimed that he held no bank accounts and possessed minimal assets. In fact, he owned and operated several businesses registered in his children’s names and controlled several business and personal bank accounts that together received approximately $1.7 million in deposits during the time he applied for public housing assistance. Based on the fraudulent applications, Hamey received Section 8 housing assistance to rent a house. During the same time he received housing assistance benefits, Hamey paid rent on four other houses in the Las Vegas area. In addition, he admitted to making five false statements to HUD officials.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2017. Hamey faces the statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of government property charge and the statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statement to a government agency charge.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig.

To report suspected fraud in a HUD program, call the HUD-OIG Hotline at 1-800-347-3735 (Toll-Free) or e-mail HOTLINE@hudoig.gov.

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