A federal grand jury in Lafayette returned a four-count indictment on April 15 charging Kelsi J. McDaniel, former executive director of the East Carroll Parish Housing Authority, with embezzlement and money laundering. McDaniel, a 29-year-old resident of Lake Providence, is accused of embezzling funds from the housing authority and faces up to 10 years in prison for theft and up to 20 years for money laundering.
The charges matter because they involve alleged misuse of federal funds intended to support vulnerable members of the community through housing programs. The Department of Justice recently announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which aims to investigate and prosecute those who misuse taxpayer dollars as part of a broader effort led by President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
“Agencies like ECPHA serve some of the most vulnerable members of our Louisiana communities, and frauds like the one allegedly perpetrated by Ms. McDaniel strike at the heart of those agencies’ ability to do their work,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office and federal partners look forward to seeing justice done in this case.”
Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General said: “Kelsi McDaniel’s alleged actions exploited her position and violated the public trust by stealing federal funds that were intended to help provide housing for the most vulnerable people in our community. HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable individuals who take advantage of their positions of trust to defraud HUD programs.”
According to court documents, McDaniel was authorized as signatory on an account receiving HUD funds for ECPHA's mission. She allegedly transferred these funds into her personal account before moving them through CashApps belonging to others who then sent them back.
The case was investigated by HUD's Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheyenne Wilson.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller made this announcement for the Western District of Louisiana.
Officials remind that an indictment is only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
