A federal grand jury in Lafayette, Louisiana, has indicted Brian Desormeaux and his daughters, Amy Desormeaux Hernandez and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud related to the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the charges concerning a scheme to defraud the federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The defendants, overseeing Regional Nutrition Assistance, Inc. (RNA), allegedly manipulated the KidKare/Minute Menu HX online portal to submit false claims to the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). The portal was used to administer the Program, which supports non-profit food service programs for children and adults. According to the indictment, Amy Hernandez maneuvered the status of Day Care Home Providers from "inactive" to "active" to bypass monitoring and falsely claim reimbursements.
Furthermore, the indictment states that Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux falsified state fire marshal inspection reports to comply with LDOE requirements. The accusations highlight that the defendants' actions led to fraudulent claims amounting to at least $400,000, with some claims involving deceased Day Care Home providers.
If found guilty, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count. The case is under investigation by the FBI and the Louisiana State Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
An indictment is an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.