Woman's alleged bribe leads to Sec. 8 fraud charges

A Chester woman has been busted for Section 8 fraud after federal agents heard about her boneheaded bribery attempt, Delaware County District Attorney G. Michael Green said yesterday.

Annette Singleton, 29, was among four county residents charged yesterday with receiving nearly $50,000 in housing-assistance funds by underreporting their household incomes and assets.

Green said that Singleton, who was charged with theft by deception and related charges, fraudulently obtained $7,200. She brought the heat on herself by attempting to bribe a property manager to get into a Chester housing complex, he said.

"I'm offended personally that there are families with young children that could benefit from this housing, that could be living in clean, safe, good housing that are denied that opportunity because others are committing fraud," Green said.

Singleton decided against the cash-and-wink bribery technique, leaving federal investigators an easy-to-follow paper trail by writing the property manager a letter asking that he "speed up my paperwork" and attaching a personal check for $1,000, according to the criminal complaint. Instead, the manager turned her in.

Singleton could not be reached yesterday.

Joseph Clarke, special agent in charge of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of the Inspector General, said that Section 8 fraud is a "fairly significant problem" nationally. The crime is typically uncovered by a tip from someone who knows the family or lives nearby, Clarke said.

Tipsters can report this type of fraud by calling 800-347-3735.