Sentencing for the defendants is scheduled for April 5, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara. The Authority's 2012-13 fiscal year budget was $6.9 million. Associate Professor of Business Administration, SUNY Erie Community College, Executive Director, Niagara Falls Housing Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, who handled the case, stated that between 1997 and July 21, 2016, Stephanie Cowart served as Executive Director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority (NFHA), an organization that has received federal funding. Regarding Fredia Cowart, Elmore said she was not a part of the program because she suffers from significant health problems and fell ill during the time the program was to be administered. DIVISION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY 11 Page AUTHORITY LETTER 2 INTRODUCTION 3 Background 3 Objective 3 Scope and Methodology 3 Comments of Authority Of cials and Corrective Action 4 (Source: buffalonews.com) Stephanie W. Cowart, former executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, admitted Wednesday to working with her son and daughter-in-law to steal $17,580 from the authority and the state. Specific reference to the funds do not appear onPeople and Possibilitiess public tax forms in either 2013 or 2014, despite other explanation of smaller sums obtained in those years. Battle was one the first federal defenders in the state's Western District office from 2002 to 2005, a seat now occupied by U.S. Attorney William Hochul. Government lawyers had asked Arcara to impose a "guideline sentence. Uncover why Niagara Falls Housing Authority is the best company for you. Cowarts words appearedin the July issue of the magazine, a month before Fredia Cowarts attorney, John Elmore, wrote to the authoritys lawyer, Jason Cafarella, with a $3,000 check enclosed. Ex-Falls Housing Authority director sentenced. 716-285-6961. Member Jason Krempa. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. The smart way to start your day. Low around 30F. That prompted the board to authorize the sale of the property. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The investigation was first revealed in July 2016, when the Niagara Gazette reported that the housing authority had received subpoenas from the Buffalo Field Office of the FBI seeking information about a pair of programs administered by the agency. Cafarella said the authority offered to sell the house to Williams, but it hasn't been able to reach an agreement with her on the price. However, Allen and Fredia Cowart never actually conducted any presentations related to the A Better Me project. An official website of the United States government. Cowart, the executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority for nearly two decades, was put on paid leave on July 21 by the board. The NFHA then paid Allen and Fredia Cowart for work purportedly done on the project. Niagara Falls, NY 14303. He went on to become New York State's director of the Housing Choice program and executive director of housing authorities in Youngstown, Ohio, Omaha and Atlantic City. For general and filing information visit the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Clifford Scott, the new executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, is used to tough assignments. The house at 2168 North Ave. is called a "scattered site" house because it is not part of a centralized group of authority properties. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. The special agent-in-charge of the Buffalo Division of the FBI said she failed in her efforts. Rochester, NY 14614. He said Williams is eligible for housing authority housing, so if she doesn't purchase the property, the board will find her suitable housing in another authority property. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Allen Cowarts attorney did the same about a week later, on Sept. 8, with a nearly identical letter attached to his refund check,though it was absent any reference to a recent conversation with authority officials. Federal prosecutors claimed in a criminal complaint that Allen and Fredia Cowart pocketed the cash and never conducted the program, which was called A Better Me. However, Niagara Falls Housing Authority Executive Director Stephanie Cowart, who is currently on paid administrative leave, is the subject of an ongoing federal probe, the details of which officials at the FBI and at the authority are unwilling to disclose. Apply Join or sign in to find your next job. The board appointed Clifford Scott to the post. Yvonne is the Founder & CEO of Victory & Co., a HR and Coaching company where she challenges people to think differently about their business and human resources practices. Get Directions . COURTS: Former Niagara Falls Housing Authority executive director also fined $2,000. 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Join to apply for the Board Member role at The Leadership Agency. None available. 100 State Street Suite 500 Edit Highlights Section. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. "Then I considered home incarceration, but I just didn't feel it would serve a purpose.". Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. On Aug. 31, Elmore wrote to Cafarella, Pursuant to our recent conversation, enclosed please find a check for $3,000 payable the (sic) Niagara Falls Municipal Housing Authority. Niagara Falls Housing Authority: $226,000; Project Stork: $100,000; A scheme that U.S. District Court Judge Richard Arcara said left him deeply troubled. Box 69 Niagara Falls, NY 14302-0069 Phone Number (716) 286-4327. Niagara Falls Housing Authority Executive Director Stephanie W. Cowart is probably one of the most cultured and sophisticated women of Niagara Falls. Scott, a Grand Island native and a veteran public housing administrator, has signed a three-year, $115,000-a-year contract as executive director. Contacts. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Company Summary. A locked padlock The . When Stephanie Cowart used her power as the Executive Director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority to steal money entrusted to her, she failed the people she was hired to serve.. Harvey Kelly and the Rev. Main Phone. The Advantage After School Program is funded, in part, through a contribution of federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds to New York State. The agency has received multiple grants from the foundation in its history. Michael Battle confirmed Friday that he and his firm had been retained by Cowart, whom the authority's board of commissioners placed on indefinite paid administrative leave in May for unspecified reasons. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York, Former Head Of Niagara Falls Housing Authority Sentenced For Stealing Government Funds; Daughter-In-Law Also Sentenced, Seven Defendants Charged In Rochester Illegal Sports Gambling Business, Father And Son Arrested, Charged With Kidnapping Conspiracy In An Attempt To Force Their Daughter/Sister To Marry In Yemen, Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Lying To Probation Officer, Former Head Of Niagara Falls Housing Authority Sentenced For Stealing Government Funds; Daughter In Law Also Sentenced. The Niagara Falls Housing Authority operates affordable housing in the City of Niagara Falls. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. Cowart's son, Allen Cowart, and his wife, Fredia, both teachers, were to administer the program,but the program was never created. Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center on Thursday joined the Niagara Falls Health Equity Task Force, a group consisting of more than 20 nonprofit leaders, in an innovative effort to provide the . Phone 716-285-7778. Asked by a reporter, "Why did you do it?" In addition, Cowarts daughter-in-law, Fredia Cowart, 28, of Niagara Falls, NY, was sentenced to one year probation for her conviction on a misdemeanor charge of theft of government funds. You have permission to edit this article. Then, with a long audible sigh, Arcara sentenced Cowart, 59, to two years of probation and a $2,000 fine. And with nearly 3,000 migrants in total having been transferred since July, community services of the city are feeling . The NFHA then paid Allen and Fredia Cowart for work purportedly done on the project. Allen Cowart was appointed to the temporary position of Teacher, under the Advantage After School Program, October 1, 2013 for the duration of the school year. Address. Over $31,600 in repairs to the property have been made to the house by the NFHA since 2011. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "There were very good letters," Arcara said. Minister of Mines. Conrad ran unsuccessfully for an at-large seat on the Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education in 2019. The money was to be used for A Better Me, a project that was to teach children and youth the importance of proper etiquette, what bullying is and what they can do about it and to teach educational empowerment tools. The NAF grant proceeds for the A Better Me project were deposited directly into the NFHAs operating account. Joanne N . 716-285-6961 x302. On Nov. 22, the board reached an agreement with Cowart . Box 69, Niagara Falls, NY 14302 | phone: (716) 286 8800 | fax: (716) 286 8809 . {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone. ", Cowart told Arcara she had always tried to be "an advocate for the needy and disadvantaged.". Executive Director Niagara Falls Housing Authority. Niagara Falls Housing Authority . Winds light and variable. Five Star Bank . Clifford Scott has been working as a Executive Director at Niagara Falls Housing Authority for 3 years. The pleas are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen; the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Brad Geary; and the Office of New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Division of Investigations. Scott spent a year as director of leased housing for the Yonkers Housing Authority, before returning to Youngstown and working in the private sector. Her attorney, Michael Battle, did not respond to a request for comment. Executive Director. The Niagara Falls Housing Authority office at 744 10th St. Clifford Scott, a starting quarterback for the University at Buffalo football team in the 1990s, will be calling the signals at the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, starting Monday. Low around 30F. He filed his resignation in 2007, two years after his appointment, during a public debate concerning the administration's dismissal of seven attorneys he was told to inform of their removal. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS FAX: (716) 551-3051. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. New Falls Housing Authority director, a former UB QB, is used to tough assignments. The board took two actions Tuesday that were related to Cowart's relatives. Outside the courtroom, both Cowart and her defense attorney, former U.S. Attorney Michael Battle, each declined to comment on the sentence. Cowart, the executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority for nearly two decades, was put on paid leave on July 21 by the board. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. (Niagara Falls, NY) - The Niagara Falls Housing Authority (NFHA) Board of Commissioners has selected Beacon Communities LLC as the Co-Developer on the Harry S. Jordan Gardens Housing Complex Redevelopment in Highland/Beech, City of Niagara Falls, New York. In existence for more than 70 years, it serves the low- to very-low-income population. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Between October 2013 and January 2015, Stephanie Cowart, being an agent of a state authority, and being aided by Allen and Fredia Cowart, stole $6,000 from the NFHA. "For most of my career, I have been a public servant," Arcara told Cowart. A Freedom of Information Act request sent by the Gazette revealed the documents that showed Allen Cowart, a teacher in the Niagara Falls City School District, and his wife, Fredia Cowart, also a district teacher, each returned $3,000 to the authority about a month after the FBIs interest was made public. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Our communities include: Packard Court, Beloved Community, Harry S. Jordan Gardens, Anthony Spallino Towers and Henry . The Niagara Falls Housing Authority's Board of Directors has said little regarding Cowart's leave. On Nov. 22, the board reached an agreement with Cowart that continues her paid leave until she officially retires on March 21. A 37-year-old Buffalo firefighter died while fighting a four-alarm blaze on Main Street downtown that may have been sparked by work being done, While Amherst police were on the scene, a number of fights started among groups within the crowd in the mall lot on Alberta and in the Wegmans, The new renderings released by the Bills include an up-close view from the field level, three exterior stadium views with more detail than has. The Jordan Gardens is a 100-unit structure with a mix of one to five-bedroom units. HOUSING AUTHORITY: Executive director's son, wife paid $6K for program that never took place. The Niagara Falls Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has tapped a Grand Island native to be its next executive director. Frank A. BUFFALO The longtime executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority has pleaded guilty to stealing federal funds in a scheme invo. Battle was appointed to the U.S. Attorney's Office by former U.S. President George W. Bush. 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