Three individuals have been charged with defrauding New York City's rental assistance program out of approximately $1.1 million. Authorities announced Thursday that Erica Williams, 39, Kareem Canty, 33, and Tajizhanae Whitaker, 29, allegedly orchestrated a scheme to steal funds from the city's "One Shot Deal" program between 2021 and 2025.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Williams allegedly led the operation by posing as distressed tenants and redirecting program funds to bank accounts she claimed belonged to landlords. Canty and Whitaker are accused of assisting Williams in this endeavor. The trio purportedly used the real names, birthdates, and social security numbers of unsuspecting tenants to submit applications.
The city Human Resources Administration approved 94 of the 170 fraudulent applications submitted by the group, resulting in the disbursement of about $1.1 million, prosecutors stated. The "One Shot Deal" program is designed to provide up to six months of rental assistance to New Yorkers facing unexpected financial hardships, such as job loss or medical emergencies, with payments typically sent directly to landlords.
Federal authorities, including the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the city's Department of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service, conducted a joint probe that led to the arrests on Wednesday morning.
Williams and Canty, both residents of New Jersey, were released on $50,000 bond after appearing in Manhattan court. Whitaker, also from New Jersey, was arrested in Georgia and remained in custody as of Thursday. The defendants face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, with a minimum sentence of two years.