Former Richmond community school Director of Economic Assist indicted for stealing pupil money aid income

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A previous Richmond community college director has been charged with thieving college student monetary support cash through her additional-than-10 year tenure in the placement at the faculty.

The Division of Justice reports that 47-year-outdated Keisha Pope was the Director of Fiscal Help at J. Sargent Reynolds Local community School (JSRCC), a public community faculty serving the bigger Richmond region, for around 10 many years, from about 2006 through 2017.

An indictment alleges that in the course of 6 several years of her work, from 2011 to 2017, Pope falsely procured fiscal assist for co-conspirators, such as her son, ex-fiancé, goddaughter and cousin.

J. Sargent Reynolds Community College or university Director of Communications and Specific Assistant to the President, Joe Shilling gave 8News a statement expressing that the local community college has thoroughly cooperated with legislation enforcement corporations in the investigation. The college or university also stated that employees users associated in the alleged criminal offense are no extended employed, and new leadership inside of the fiscal aid business office is in area.

Management of the Reynolds Monetary Help Office, as perfectly university leaders liable for its oversight in the course of the timeframe referenced, are no for a longer period used at Reynolds. New leadership of the money support business office has been in place due to the fact March of 2018 and has worked diligently to make sure the integrity of all elements of our money support functions. Reynolds is in total compliance with the U.S. Division of Education to take part in the administration of federal economic help.”

Joe Schilling, Director of Communications & Unique Assistant to the President

The Criminal offense

Pope allegedly elevated the monetary assist eligibility for her co-conspirators, who have been or else ineligible for aid rewards at JSRCC, and in return had an settlement with the events included exactly where she would acquire a part of the funds as compensation. In accordance to the indictment, Pope allegedly expended her part of the improperly obtained student money help dollars on several personal charges, like repairs for her automobile, retail procuring, and bills for her daughter, who is a small.

To conceal her tracks Pope is explained to have falsified supporting files justifying the financial support allotment. In a person instance, Pope allegedly forged medical paperwork and economical assist files reflecting that her goddaughter was failing to meet up with academic eligibility owing to a breast most cancers diagnosis, in spite of being aware of that her goddaughter experienced no most cancers prognosis.

Pope also allegedly obtained fiscal help for her ex-fiancé, from around 2010 as a result of about 2015, although he was incarcerated, and not attending the faculty.

The indictment alleges that when JSRCC management confronted Pope all-around September or October of 2017 about her marriage with the aforementioned academically ineligible students who were being obtaining large quantities of economical assist, Pope claimed to not know the learners, and claimed that all learners had documentation justifying getting the continued money support. When questioned to create explained documentation, Pope resigned from JSRCC.

The Rates

In accordance to The Department of Justice and United States Legal professional, Jessica D. Aber, Pope has been charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated id theft. Pope faces a optimum of 20 yrs in jail if she is convicted of any of the fraud offences, and faces an extra necessary two-yrs in jail if convicted of aggravated identification theft.

The Section of Justice reported that precise sentence times for federal crimes are typically a lot less than the optimum penalty.