Ex-Pierce County general public housing finance director pleads guilty in $6.9 million fraud
2 min readCova Campbell, the former finance director, pleaded guilty to taking approximately $7 million from the public company in a few a long time.
Editor’s take note: the above video clip ran in 2019.
A previous Pierce County Housing Authority finance director pleaded responsible on Friday to wire fraud in relationship with her plan to steal virtually $7 million to obtain private property, the U.S. Attorney’s Office environment introduced.
Cova Campbell, also acknowledged as Cova Hunter, was fired from her posture as finance director at the Pierce County Housing Authority in 2019 after the state auditor uncovered financial irregularities.
She had been in cost of the public agency’s $32 million once-a-year budget, with tiny oversight. Campbell was arrested last calendar year in Oklahoma.
The auditor’s office environment claimed that Campbell and her husband had stolen $6.9 million considering that 2016 and utilized the income to purchase house in Oklahoma, between other things.
The Pierce County Housing Authority is a general public federal government company that delivers housing options for folks with reduce incomes. Campbell was in cost of the housing authority’s price range, which will come from federal, nearby and state applications, as well as from hire on its properties.
The auditor noted that the fraud included $25,000 in own purchases on the Housing Authority’s credit rating playing cards, $3.2 million in transactions disguised as seller payments, $635,000 in wire transfers to an out of condition financial institution and far more than $3 million in wire transfers instantly to Campbell’s individual account.
The wire transfers were as large as $500,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Workplace.
In accordance to the U.S. Attorney’s Business, Campbell also falsified invoices, labeling them as investments, coverage or upkeep.
Campbell pleaded responsible to employing the funds to major her home in Oklahoma, for advancements to her Lakewood property and for journey, which include excursions to Las Vegas and the chartering of a private jet, according to the announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Place of work. She also admitted to using the dollars for the buy of two cars and trucks and for gambling and online gaming.
Campbell faces up to 20 many years in jail when sentenced by U.S. District Choose Robert J. Bryan on April 8, in accordance to the U.S. Attorney’s Business office. She also should shell out restitution of $7 million.
