ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - A Lithonia woman was sentenced Tuesday for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in Department of Housing and Urban Development funds.
Officers said Janice Cooks was sentenced to four months is prison and eight months of home confinement.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development funds were intended for housing for disabled women and their children. U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak said Cooks was awarded three grants to fund her Quilt SOLE program that was meant to do the same. Before Cooks received anything, she was required to submit a detailed budget outlining the costs of the program.
“The defendant obtained nearly a million dollars from HUD in grant funds designated for housing for disabled women and children,” U.S. Attorney Pak said. “Cooks intentionally mismanaged the money, spent it on personal and business expenses not covered by the grant, and ultimately caused the intended recipients to lose their homes.”
Officials said HUD approved the funds for her program to rent 14 apartments for 14 disabled women and their children. Instead Cooks rented between 22 and 24 apartments at the complex.
In 2012, Cooks received $125,000 in funds. Officials said Cooks pocketed $59,000 into her personal account.
Officials said Cooks used HUD funds to travel, dine out and shop.
Officials said Cooks was convicted of charges in 2017 after she pleaded guilty.