A Former Police Chief's Pandemic Fraud Scheme

A former police chief in Alabama is in hot water for a clever scam involving COVID-19 relief funds. Samuel Cornelius Green, the ex-chief of Brundidge, admitted to tricking the government into giving him money he didn't deserve. He and his accomplice, Schemillia Levera Fenn, both admitted to wire fraud. The court ordered them to pay back over $118, 000 to the Treasury Department. Green also got a $1, 000 fine and will spend 10 months under house arrest, followed by three years of probation. The scheme involved fake rental assistance applications. Green submitted multiple applications with false information about tenants, rental agreements, and payment histories. He even used fake utility bills to make his claims look real. This went on from March 2021 to November 2021. The government's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) was meant to help people who couldn't pay rent or utilities during the pandemic. Instead, Green used it to line his own pockets.A federal judge recently ordered Green to give up three rental properties in Troy. The government set up ERAP to help people in need, but Green saw it as an opportunity to cheat the system. The Department of the Treasury's Office of Inspector General, along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the U. S. Marshals Service, investigated the case. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Michelle R. Turner, Russell T. Duraski, and J. Patrick Lamb handled the prosecution. This case shows how some people take advantage of programs meant to help others. It's a reminder that fraud comes in many forms and can happen at any level. The justice system is working to hold people accountable, but it's up to all of us to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.