Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Helen Murray, a former executive secretary at the Boston Housing Authority, pleaded guilty on Mar. 31 in federal court to one count of wire fraud after admitting she falsified overtime forms and forged her supervisor’s signature.
The case highlights issues of internal oversight and accountability within public agencies that handle payroll and overtime approval processes. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Murray lied about working overtime hours between January 2023 and August 2024, ultimately collecting approximately $72,131 in fraudulent pay.
Murray worked as an executive secretary at the Boston Housing Authority from 2017 to 2024. Her responsibilities included collecting weekly timesheets and overtime forms from other employees. She was also eligible for overtime herself but was required to have any such work pre-approved by senior management through a process involving supervisor review and electronic approval via email.
Prosecutors said that instead of submitting legitimate forms for approval starting in January 2023, Murray entered unworked overtime hours on her own forms, forged her supervisor's signature without permission or knowledge, and sent these directly to BHA Payroll by email. This resulted in more than 100 falsified submissions over roughly a year-and-a-half period.
The charge of wire fraud carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 7 before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said the announcement was made with assistance from Ted E. Docks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. The Boston Housing Authority provided support during the investigation.
