Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced charges against a Cook County mother and her son for allegedly falsifying documents and fraudulently receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chicago, state, and federal government assistance funds for which they were not eligible.
Attorney General Raoul charged Chicago residents Gwendolyn J. Martin, 59, and her son, Lawrence Amos, 43, in Cook County Circuit Court over allegations of fraud committed against the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
“Without the assistance provided by the Housing Choice Voucher Program, many families in need would have nowhere to turn for housing support. It is unconscionable any individual would take advantage of this vital program,” Raoul said. “I am committed to ensuring that individuals are held accountable for exploiting government programs, particularly when families across our city are waitlisted until the support they deserve is available.”
The case was investigated by the CHA Inspector General’s office.
“The CHA Office of the Inspector General is gratified to see these crimes aggressively prosecuted,” said Kathryn Richards, Inspector General for the CHA. “Martin and Amos engaged in a long-running, sophisticated financial fraud for many years, falsifying multiple government records, misrepresenting their identities, and profiting off of CHA’s scarce housing voucher resources while depriving those in need of housing from getting the assistance they need.”
Martin faces several charges based on three indictments:
- One count of theft of governmental funds over $100,000
- One count of theft of governmental property between $10,000 and $100,000
- One count of theft by deception between $10,000 and $100,000
- Three counts of wire fraud
- Eight counts of forgery
- One count of loan fraud
- One count of income tax fraud
Attorney General Raoul’s office charged Amos with several offenses based on two indictments:
- One count of theft of government funds over $100,000
- One count of theft by deception between $10,000 and $100,000
- Three counts of wire fraud
- One count of loan fraud
- Six counts of forgery
- One count of income tax fraud
Sentences are ultimately determined by the court.
Raoul’s office alleges Martin fraudulently received housing choice voucher benefits through the CHA by not reporting a home she owned. According to the charges, Martin and Amos allegedly engaged in a scheme where Amos was listed as the agent and manager of properties Martin would rent with her fraudulently obtained CHA voucher. Amos is alleged to have then pocketed the CHA funds as Martin never informed property owners she was a CHA voucher recipient.
According to Raoul’s charges:
Martin and Amos allegedly continued a pattern defrauding CHA for years; Amos kept voucher funds while landlords were left without payment. Raoul's office alleges $236,904 was paid between December 2008 and May 2024 due to Martin's voucher while $158...
Additionally:
The Attorney General's office charged Martin & Amos with applying & receiving Paycheck Protection Program funds from SBA for non-existent businesses.
The public is reminded defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Assistant Attorney General Haley Bookhout is prosecuting this case for Raoul’s Public Integrity Bureau.
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