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Anita Alvarez
Cook County State's Attorney
Communications Department
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
saomedia@cookcountygov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 22, 2010

South Side woman has been indicted for bilking a housing assistance program and taxpayers out of nearly $60,000 according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Elaine Sharp, 55, of 159 E. 111th St has been indicted on one count of State Benefits Fraud and two counts of theft of government property for obtaining rental assistance through the Chicago Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program and then pocketing the proceeds from subletting the unit to others.

“Governments at all levels are facing increased demands for assistance while seeing their resources spread ever thinner,” said Alvarez. “This case is particularly disturbing given the fact that the funds in question were earmarked to help needy individuals pay their rents.”

In court prosecutors alleged that in 2003 Sharp was approved to begin receiving assistance from the C.H.A. to rent a residence in the 200 Block of W. 109th Place on Chicago’s South Side. Almost immediately she moved in to her current address, a house that she owned and did not disclose on her application, and began subletting the unit to others.

In March of 2009, Sharp’s scheme began to unravel when the Chicago Housing Authority notified her that they would be conducting a routine inspection of the property. In response Sharp began immediately evicting residents from the property. This combined with the fact that Sharp had forbid the tenants from receiving mail and only accepted cash as payment tipped renters to the scheme and prompted them to contact authorities.

Investigators obtained copies of Sharp’s State ID Card, bank statements, and other governmental records showing that her residency was actually the house on 111th St. In all it is alleged that her scheme has cost taxpayers $56,205 in fraudulently paid benefits. If convicted she faces up to 15 years in prison.

Sharp was arrested and pled not guilty today before Judge Timothy Joyce. She was released on a $50,000 recognizance bond and the case was continued May 14.

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