The former executive director of the Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority has been found responsible for misappropriating over $2.8 million, following a special audit, Auditor of State Keith Faber announced last Thursday. Jodi Rickard, the official in question, has been convicted and is currently serving time for her role in diverting public funds intended for aiding Ohioans in need to cover her personal luxuries, which included holidays, concerts, and even a home swimming pool addition. According to the Auditor of State's website, Rickard will repay the substantial sum, which encompasses both the restitution ordered by the court and additional findings discerned by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
During the extended period between January 2008 and December 2022, auditors determined that Rickard systematically siphoned funds from the agency's accounts for personal expenses. The auditor’s report outlines that lax oversight from the Housing Authority Board and inadequate internal controls enabled Rickard's ongoing misdeeds. The former executive director was eventually apprehended following the execution of search warrants at agency facilities with assistance from the Athens Police Department.
Charged with multiple felonies, including theft in office and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, Rickard pled guilty in June 2023. She was sentenced to a prison term of eight to 12 years but may be eligible for judicial release after five, as part of her plea agreement. In addition to her incarceration, she has been ordered to forfeit her personal assets, which include retirement and bank accounts, as well as jointly held property with her husband, who was not charged.
Rickard's sentencing and the ongoing recovery effort underscore the state's commitment to rooting out fraud. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General and the Athens County Prosecutor Keller J. Blackburn, the SIU continues its mission to safeguard public funds. Sharing the successes of the unit, state records indicate that since 2019, the SIU has contributed to 142 convictions, resulting in restitution exceeding $13 million.
To date, Rickard has repaid $507,296.63 of the ordered restitution, derived primarily from the forfeiture of personal assets. Meanwhile, the auditor’s office remains vigilant, inviting the public to report suspected fraud through their online platform or the dedicated fraud hotline. By holding those who abuse their positions accountable and recovering stolen assets, the state assures residents that justice is not merely an abstract ideal but a tangible outcome of diligent investigative work.
