A DC man has admitted to scamming a COVID-19 relief program out of over $30,000, federal authorities announced. Ronald Allen, Jr. entered a guilty plea for fleecing the District's STAY DC program, which aimed to support renters affected by the pandemic.
During the court session, Allen confessed to lying on two applications in 2021, saying he was jobless due to the pandemic. He got $31,044, but the U.S. Attorney's office found he had a steady income. Allen promised to use the money for rent and bills but spent it on luxury items and personal enjoyment instead.
The judge presiding over the case, The Honorable Jason Park, heard Allen's guilty plea and has pegged May 3, 2024, for when he’ll drop the hammer on the sentence. As part of the plea deal, Allen has to cough up full restitution, getting square with the program for every dime of the thirty-one grand he swiped.
Commending the sleuths who cracked the case, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and DC Inspector General Daniel Lucas have shown to take a no-nonsense approach against such fraudulent schemes. The case against Allen was championed by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Bluming, who is currently on loan from the DC Office of the Attorney General to handle the dirty laundry of fraud and public corruption.
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