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Press Releases

Decemeber 01, 2023

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that Cambria County Area Agency on Aging (CCAAA) has agreed to pay $122,461.53 to resolve claims arising from CCAAA’s administration of community service grants funded through AmeriCorps.

Cambria County Area Agency on Aging Agrees to Pay Over $122,000 to Resolve False Claims 


 

March 02, 2023

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Margarita Botti-Nieves was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa to serve 24 months in prison followed by a supervised release term of three years, announced United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. On October 11, 2022, Botti-Nieves was indicted and pleaded guilty to misappropriation of funds, tax evasion, and obstruction of a tax investigation.

Comptroller of a Non-Profit Corporation in Aguada, PR Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fraud Scheme 


 

January 24, 2023

BALTIMORE, Maryland – The State of Maryland Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism (“GOSV”), a division within the Governor’s Office on Community Initiatives (“GOCI”), has agreed to pay the United States $639,916 and enter into a compliance agreement to resolve a civil False Claims Act investigation relating to the operation of its AmeriCorps program. 

United States Attorney’s Office Reaches $639,916 Settlement with Governor of Maryland’s Office on Service and Volunteerism to Resolve Alleged False Claims for AmeriCorps Program Funds 


 

February 22, 2022

WASHINGTON Stacy Higa, 58, a former public official from Hilo, Hawaii, was sentenced in federal court today to 46 months in prison for embezzling from AmeriCorps and also for offering a bribe in return for grants under the CARES Act.

Former Executive Director of the Hawaii Commission Sentenced To 46 Months in Prison for Embezzling from AmeriCorps and Offering a Bribe in Return for CARES Act Grants 


 

August 02, 2022

DENVER, Colorado – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that Denver Public Schools (“DPS”) has paid $2,123,811 to the United States to resolve a civil False Claims Act investigation into the operation of its AmeriCorps program and its misuse of AmeriCorps funds.  DPS also agreed to pay for any outstanding AmeriCorps education awards yet to be distributed, up to approximately $614,000.

Denver Public Schools Pays Over $2.1 Million to Settle Allegations Relating to Misuse of AmeriCorps Funds


 

November 01, 2021

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Illinois – Non-profit Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House (“LBDNH”) has agreed to pay the United States $100,000 and enter into a compliance agreement to resolve a civil False Claims Act investigation relating to the operation of its AmeriCorps program, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today.

U.S. Settles Dispute with Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House Over its AmeriCorps Programs 


 

October 13, 2021

WASHINGTONStacy Higa, 58, a former public official from Hilo, Hawaii, pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $38,000 from AmeriCorps and also to offering a bribe in return for grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Hawaii Public Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from AmeriCorps and Offering a Bribe in Return for CARES Act Grants 


 

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON Hanalei Aipoalani, 42, of Waianae, Hawaii, was sentenced today in federal court to 46 months of imprisonment for embezzling more than $500,000 from AmeriCorps and for agreeing to accept a bribe for the administration of grants under the CARES Act.

Hawaiian Non-Profit Executive Sentenced to 46 Months of Imprisonment for Embezzling Over $500,000 from AmeriCorps and for Agreeing to Receive a Bribe for Approving $845,000 in CARES Act Grants


 

April 09, 2021

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania and MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Acting United States Attorneys Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Sandra Stewart jointly announced that Southeast Alabama Community Action Partnership, Inc. (“SEACAP”) has agreed to pay $30,000 and to implement enhanced compliance measures to resolve claims arising from SEACAP’s administration of community service grants funded through AmeriCorps (formerly the Corporation for National and Community Service).

Southeast Alabama Community Action Partnership, Inc. Agrees to Pay $30,000 and Implement Compliance Improvements to Resolve Claims It Failed to Return Community Service Grant Funds to the United States 


 

April 02. 2021

WASHINGTONAngelita Aipoalani, 42, of Waianae, Hawaii, pled guilty on April 1, 2021 in federal court to conspiring with her husband, Hanalei Aipoalani, to embezzle $69,000 from AmeriCorps and to fraudulently obtain more than $11,000 in AmeriCorps education grants.

Wife of Hawaiian Non-Profit Executive Pleads Guilty Conspiring to Embezzle from AmeriCorps


 

March 26, 2021

WASHINGTONHanalei Aipoalani, 42, of Waianae, Hawaii, pled guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $500,000 from AmeriCorps and to agreeing to accept a bribe for the administration of grants under the CARES Act.

Hawaiian Non-Profit Executive Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Over $500,000 from AmeriCorps and Agreeing to Receive a Bribe for Administering CARES Act Grants


 

February 22, 2021

East St. Louis, Ill. – East St. Louis School District 189 (ESL189) has paid the United States $38,510 to resolve a civil False Claims Act investigation into the operation of its AmeriCorps program, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today.

U.S. Settles Dispute with East. St. Louis School District 189 over Its AmeriCorps Program 


 

August 19, 2020

LAS VEGAS, Nevada and PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania– United States Attorney for the District of Nevada Nicholas A. Trutanich and United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania William M. McSwain jointly announced that Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada (Catholic Charities) has agreed to pay $206,368.35 to resolve claims arising from its administration of community service grants funded through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

Catholic Charities Of Southern Nevada Agrees To Pay Over$200K To Resolve Claims It Fraudulently Billed The United States For Community Service Grants 


 

May 22, 2020

SACRAMENTO, California — The University of San Francisco (USF) has agreed to pay $2,561,727 to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that it knowingly presented false and fraudulent claims to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in order to secure federal grant funds under the AmeriCorps State and National Program. CNCS is an independent federal agency that administers the AmeriCorps national service program.

University of San Francisco Agrees to Pay over $2.5M for Alleged False Claims in Its Administration of AmeriCorps Grants


 

July 16, 2019

 LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Madison County woman has agreed to resolve civil allegations that she violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits the submission of false or fraudulent claims, agreeing to pay the federal government, after admitting that she falsified timesheets that caused her to wrongfully receive federal funds from the AmeriCorps Program.

Madison County Woman Agrees to Pay Damages for Submitting False Claims to AmeriCorps Program


 

June 28, 2019

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania and CAMDEN, New Jersey – United States Attorneys William M. McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey jointly announced that Our Lady of Lourdes Health Foundation and two related Our Lady of Lourdes companies have agreed to pay $1,143,881.19 to resolve claims arising from Lourdes’ administration of community service grants funded through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

Our Lady of Lourdes Agrees to Pay Over $1.1M to Resolve Claims It Failed to Perform Background Checks, Fraudulently Billed U.S. for Community Service Grants