Post by Milisha on Nov 14, 2008 8:24:59 GMT -5
FB woman guilty in child support fraud ring
Nick Georgandis
Times Managing Editor
A Fort Bend County jury has found 42-year-old Debra Hodge guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity for her part in bilking over $40,000 in fraudulent child support from the Texas Attorney General's Office.
According to Michael Elliott, Chief of the Economic Crimes Division, Hodge and 11 co-defendants participated in an illegal scheme to defraud the Texas Attorney General's Office out of thousands of dollars from September 2005 through March 2006.
Hodge opened at least one personal bank account and gave blank checks to another co-defendant who would then forge signatures as persons owing child support.
These checks were fraudulently written for the benefit of other co-defendants and submitted to the Attorney General's Office, who would then forward the payments to those co-defendants - who were all actually owed child support. When they received the payments, those co-defendants would surrender a percentage back to the individuals who supplied the checks.
Hodge testified in her trial that the checks were stolen and forged without her knowledge. However, further testimony revealed that she had never reported the checks as stolen. During a heated cross-examination by Elliott, Hodge admitted that even she would not believe the story she was telling if she was on the jury.
βThe citizens of Fort Bend County were clear that they would not tolerate criminals stealing money which is designated to support our children,β said Elliott, β and even minor involvement in a scheme of this nature will not go unpunished.β
Hodge was tried in the 268th District Court before visiting judge Neil Caldwell. The charge of Organized Criminal Activity in this case is a second-degree felony.
Assistant District Attorneys Michael Elliott and Kristen Moore prosecuted the case. Eric Ashford represented the defendan[t].
Nick Georgandis
Times Managing Editor
A Fort Bend County jury has found 42-year-old Debra Hodge guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity for her part in bilking over $40,000 in fraudulent child support from the Texas Attorney General's Office.
According to Michael Elliott, Chief of the Economic Crimes Division, Hodge and 11 co-defendants participated in an illegal scheme to defraud the Texas Attorney General's Office out of thousands of dollars from September 2005 through March 2006.
Hodge opened at least one personal bank account and gave blank checks to another co-defendant who would then forge signatures as persons owing child support.
These checks were fraudulently written for the benefit of other co-defendants and submitted to the Attorney General's Office, who would then forward the payments to those co-defendants - who were all actually owed child support. When they received the payments, those co-defendants would surrender a percentage back to the individuals who supplied the checks.
Hodge testified in her trial that the checks were stolen and forged without her knowledge. However, further testimony revealed that she had never reported the checks as stolen. During a heated cross-examination by Elliott, Hodge admitted that even she would not believe the story she was telling if she was on the jury.
βThe citizens of Fort Bend County were clear that they would not tolerate criminals stealing money which is designated to support our children,β said Elliott, β and even minor involvement in a scheme of this nature will not go unpunished.β
Hodge was tried in the 268th District Court before visiting judge Neil Caldwell. The charge of Organized Criminal Activity in this case is a second-degree felony.
Assistant District Attorneys Michael Elliott and Kristen Moore prosecuted the case. Eric Ashford represented the defendan[t].