DOI INVESTIGATION LEADS TO ARREST OF STATEN ISLAND WOMAN ON CHARGES OF STEALING MORE THAN $10,000 IN SECTION 8 HOUSING SUBSIDIES

 

Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the arrest of a Staten Island woman on charges of stealing $10,038 in Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”)-administered Section 8 subsidies during a three-year period. HPD reported this matter to DOI after an income verification check identified a potential discrepancy between the defendant’s actual income and the amount she reported to HPD. The office of Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon is prosecuting the case. 

DIOR MOODY, 39, of Staten Island, N.Y., is charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony; Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony; and Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor. Upon conviction, a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison, a class E felony by up to four years in prison, and a class A misdemeanor by up to a year’s incarceration. 

DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said “Publicly-funded housing subsidies are a critical component of New York City’s social safety net. Theft of these funds, as charged in this indictment, diminishes the support available to eligible New Yorkers and the effectiveness of the Section 8 program. I thank HPD for referring this matter to DOI and the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for its continued partnership in our efforts to protect precious public resources from theft and fraud.” 

Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon said, "We know that housing is a critical resource in our City right now, particularly for those in need. That is why the alleged theft committed by this defendant, amounting to more than $10,000, is so callous and offensive. Public funds made available to help those in need of housing assistance are a precious resource, and through our office's Public Corruption Unit and Economic Crimes Bureau, we will aggressively prosecute this defendant for her crimes. We are grateful to the Department of Investigation for their invaluable work on this case and for their dedication to ensuring that nobody is above the law."

According to the indictment and DOI’s investigation, MOODY was required to annually report her employment and income to HPD so that HPD could properly calculate the amount of Section 8 subsidies she was eligible to receive. The investigation found that in 2016, 2018 and 2019, MOODY failed to properly report her earnings as a per diem manager at a Staten Island social services organization. As a result, MOODY received $10,038 in Section 8 subsidies she was not entitled to.     

Commissioner Strauber thanked Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon and his staff, and HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. and his staff assigned to the Division of Tenant Resources, for their partnership and assistance on this investigation.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.