U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson | U.S. Department of Justice
Dora T. Boyd, a 33-year-old resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been sentenced to 50 months in prison following her guilty plea to wire fraud charges. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson and carried out by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady.
In addition to her prison sentence, Boyd will undergo two years of supervised release and must pay $166,292 in restitution to the victim of her offense.
The charges against Boyd stem from her fraudulent activities related to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), established by the United States Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program aimed to help households unable to pay rent or utilities by providing federal funds through state and local governments.
Between March and November 2021, Boyd orchestrated a scheme to defraud the City of Fort Wayne by submitting false applications for ERAP payments. She used a purported charitable organization to file at least 30 fraudulent applications, falsely claiming landlord status for tenants with whom she had no actual relationship. These applications included fabricated leases and tax documents.
Although Boyd attempted to embezzle over $400,000 in assistance funds, she ultimately received $166,292. She is required to repay this amount as restitution.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Treasury, and the City of Fort Wayne Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller prosecuted the case.
