Home New Haven Press Releases 2009 Former New London Housing Authority Employee Sentenced to 46 Months for Stealing HUD Program Funds
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Former New London Housing Authority Employee Sentenced to 46 Months for Stealing HUD Program Funds

U.S. Attorney’s Office May 20, 2009
  • District of Connecticut (203) 821-3700

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN ASHE, 44, of North Haven, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in schemes to steal funds from the East Haven Housing Authority and the New London Housing Authority.  On February 26, 2009, ASHE pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from a program receiving federal funds.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, ASHE was formerly employed as a maintenance mechanic for the New London Housing Authority (“NLHA”).  From approximately August 2003 to September 2005, ASHE and his wife, Cassandra Ashe, who at the time was the Section 8 Coordinator for the NLHA, recruited and established an individual to serve as a nominee landlord to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 rent subsidy checks through the NLHA.  The HUD program exists to assist qualifying low-income individuals in obtaining rental housing on the private market.  As part of the conspiracy, ASHE and his wife deposited Section 8 landlord checks made payable to the nominee landlord into a bank account in the nominee landlord’s name, then subsequently withdrew money from that account by ATM, spending some of the cash and depositing some of the cash into their personal bank accounts.  The total amount of the NLHA Section 8 checks generated as a result of this scheme was approximately $204,591.

ASHE and his wife also participated in a scheme to steal money from the East Haven Housing Authority’s (“EHHA”) HUD Section 8 rent subsidy program.  In August 2005, Cassandra Ashe became the Executive Director of the EHHA.  From approximately March 19, 2007 through April 28, 2008, JONATHAN ASHE and Cassandra Ashe stole Section 8 money from the EHHA bank account by making repeated ATM withdrawals, and then converted the money for their own personal use.  The total amount of money stolen from the EHHA as a result of this scheme was approximately $192,600.

Today, Judge Chatigny ordered ASHE to pay restitution in the amount of $397,181.

On March 10, 2009, Cassandra Ashe pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from a program receiving federal funds.  She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28 at 10:00 a.m.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Wines.

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