Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HAMMOND – Valencia Franklin, age 52, of Lynwood, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to wire fraud, a federal felony offense, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Franklin was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release and ordered to pay $352,300 in restitution to the victim of the offense.
According to documents in the case, in 2021, Company A, a not for profit organization located in Merrillville, Indiana, administered and distributed federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds to local residents adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Franklin worked for Company A and defrauded the company by preparing fraudulent applications for Emergency Rental Assistance which falsely claimed her family members were landlords for certain properties, when in reality they had no connection to these properties. As a result of her false representations, Franklin caused hundred of thousands of dollars in fraudulent payments to be issued to herself and others.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin F. Wolff.