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A 36-year-old Omaha woman is accused of stealing about $14,000 from the Omaha Housing Authority by submitting a forged document.
The woman was arrested Wednesday by police on suspicion of felony theft by deception after an OHA investigation indicated that she altered another woman's GED diploma and submitted it as her own to complete a family self-sufficiency program.
George Achola, OHA's attorney, said obtaining the diploma is the last step in the program. OHA officials received a tip from another tenant about the altered diploma.
Achola said money is put into escrow for participants of the program, which includes cleaning up credit histories, getting employment and not being late on rent payments. Upon completion, participants are given the money to be used as a down payment on a home.
Achola said the goal is to help people make the transition from being renters to being good homeowners. The amount of money issued to program participants ranges from a few thousand to $20,000, Achola said.
The woman received $13,924 in late September but had not yet used the money to buy a house. According to a police report, the woman paid $2,000 for the diploma that she submitted.
Achola said there could be more charges coming.
Achola said OHA likely will change its policy on accepting diplomas. He said the agency probably will require a legal document from the issuing agency.
He said the program has been around for a number of years and this was the first time he'd heard of such a situation.
Contact the writer:
444-1279, jason.kuiper@owh.com
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