A former Senior Special Agent for the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, Leessa Augustine, was sentenced on December 16, 2025, for her involvement in several fraud schemes while employed by the agency. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry sentenced Augustine, 47, to six months of home detention followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $94,972 in restitution.
Augustine pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements to investigators. One scheme involved billing a police detail customer for hours she did not work while serving as a reserve officer with the New Orleans Police Department. During some of those times, she used her Sewerage & Water Board-issued computer to carry out another fraud scheme involving a mortgage loan and federally funded assistance for low-income homebuyers. For this scheme, Augustine created fake documents such as W-2 forms, pay stubs, and bank statements.
In a separate incident, Augustine concealed her income from her position as Senior Special Agent to obtain federally funded unemployment benefits. She also received emergency rental assistance from the City of New Orleans by submitting fraudulent documents including a fake lease and a fabricated termination letter from a fictitious employer. At various points during these activities, she provided her agency-issued cellphone number as contact information for individuals she impersonated.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson expressed appreciation for the support provided by the New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the New Orleans Police Department in this case.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Labor; and Office of Inspector General – U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon prosecuted the case within the Public Integrity Unit.
