Geary Simon, a 71-year-old from Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to charges stemming from fraudulent activities involving a pandemic housing assistance program. The plea includes one count of wire fraud connected to a presidentially declared disaster or emergency and one count of firearm possession by a prohibited person, this emerged during a hearing before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich in U.S. District Court, as reported by theU.S. Attorney s Office.
Simon’s deception centered around STAY DC, a program setup to support tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with their housing and utilities. It is backed by $352 million in federal funds, specifically allocated for this purpose. Simon, in his application dated June 22, 2021, claimed he was a tenant in arrears to a “Robert Sutton” for $72,000, of an H Street property, all while including bogus contact information for this alleged landlord; however, these claims were materially false, he wasn’t a tenant, there was no “Robert Sutton”, there were no overdue payments, and arguably the phone number and email he offered for his landlord were, in reality, his own creations, according to thepress release.
The repercussions of Simon’s deceit: the DC Department of Human Services, none the wiser, granted Simon a check for $38,560. With these funds in hand, which originated from taxpayer contribution, Simon was found to have handled them with little regard to their intended purpose, redirecting them to personal expenses like covering his children’s private school fees and his own child support payments.
A follow-up investigation led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office resulted in the execution of a search warrant at Simon’s residence on March 14, where two firearms were discovered. This is notable, given Simon’s criminal record, which prohibits him from possessing firearms due to at least two prior felony convictions, including one for carrying a pistol without a license. Simon is now awaiting sentencing, with a hearing scheduled for April 11, 2025. The wire fraud charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years.
Assistant United States Attorney John W. Borchert is overseeing the prosecution, emphasizing the importance of upholding the integrity of relief programs intended for those in genuine need.
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