Bruce Hauber, who served as Executive Director of the American Falls Housing Authority, has been sentenced to five years of probation for federal program theft. The 72-year-old was found to have embezzled a total of $129,022.38 from the public housing authority he was managing, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott.
The American Falls Housing Authority, which is funded federally, oversees public housing in American Falls. Hauber, during his tenure from 2019 to 2023, was responsible for various financial and administrative tasks including paying bills and managing accounts. However, court records revealed that from spring 2019 onwards, Hauber made unauthorized personal purchases using the authority's credit cards. These purchases included meals, airplane tickets, and utilities for his home, among other expenses. To disguise these personal expenses as legitimate, Hauber created fictitious checks and entered them into the authority's accounting system.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye has ordered Hauber to repay $79,022.38 in restitution and serve eight months of home detention with location monitoring as part of his probation conditions.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott stated, "Our office will vigorously investigate and prosecute cases involving theft of public money. Bruce Hauber stole from the American taxpayer and deprived American Falls residents vital public housing funds."
Machelle Jindra, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, commented on the case saying, "Hauber deliberately orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to embezzle more than $125,000 in federal funds designated to provide housing assistance for elderly and disabled residents in American Falls, Idaho—a community of roughly 4,500 people." Jindra emphasized the negative impact of the theft given the limited resources for the community.
The investigation and subsequent charges were led by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Jack Haycock.