Mom, daughter posing as landlords in NC stole $150,000 and went gambling, feds say
A mother and daughter were sentenced to federal prison in an attempted $870,000 housing fraud scheme, according to federal prosecutors who said they both pretended to be landlords with tenants struggling to pay rent in North Carolina.
Takeeia Hawkins, 43, and her daughter, Shanasia Hawkins, 22, defrauded a North Carolina emergency rental assistance program meant to help residents facing eviction and homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, prosecutors said.
In applications for rental assistance, both women, who live in New Bern, lied about being the landlords of multiple homes in Eastern North Carolina — claiming their tenants couldn’t pay rent because of financial burdens caused by COVID-19, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The applications submitted to the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program allowed them to receive, and steal, nearly $150,000, prosecutors said.
Takeeia and Shanasia Hawkins used most of the money to buy gifts and go gambling, according to prosecutors.
Attorney Joseph E. Houchi, who’s appointed to represent Shanasia Hawkins, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on June 10.
Family and friends involved, tried to steal more money
Through the NC HOPE Program, North Carolina residents could receive federal COVID-19 relief funds if their applications for rental assistance were approved, prosecutors said.
Once approved, the program mailed rent payment checks to a tenant’s landlord, according to prosecutors.
Landlords received checks “for up to 15 months of overdue or future rent payments,” prosecutors said.
Takeeia Hawkins’ son, Jmari Hawkins, 24, and two family friends, Jonell Ojeda, 23, and Tevin Evans, 26, also took part in stealing federal housing assistance funds, prosecutors said.
They all posed as landlords to defraud the NC Hope Program, according to prosecutors, and stole more than $250,000 in total.
Hawkins, Ojeda and Evans tried — but were unsuccessful — in stealing more than $870,000, prosecutors said.
Attorneys separately appointed to represent Takeeia Hawkins, Jmari Hawkins and Ojeda didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on June 10.
Evans’ court-appointed public defender, John H. Bennett, declined a request for comment.
The sentences
Takeeia Hawkins has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, and Shanasia Hawkins was sentenced to one year and three months in prison over the scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced in a June 7 news release.
Both women previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit mail fraud, prosecutors said.
In 27 applications received by the NC HOPE Program, Takeeia Hawkins was named as the landlord, court documents show.
After some of these applications were approved, the program mailed her at least nine checks worth $96,740, according to court documents.
Her daughter, Shanasia, was named as the landlord on 25 applications sent to the NC Hope Program, court filings say.
This resulted in her wrongly receiving five checks worth $46,605, according to court documents.
“COVID-19 monies were set aside to help struggling families pay their rent, and these defendants stole it,” U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said in the news release.
Jmari Hawkins, Ojeda and Evans await sentencing after pleading guilty in connection with the fraud, according to prosecutors. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for later in the summer.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Mom, daughter posing as landlords in NC stole $150,000 and went gambling, feds say."
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