Texas Scorecard by Charles Blain June 21, 2024
The group allegedly laundered about $8.5 million and spent it on “flashy cars, nice houses, super living, trips, and pornography.”On Friday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and outgoing Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced felony charges for three people related to a finance scheme at the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, an agency intended to improve Midtown Houston.
Todd Edwards, the real estate asset manager for the authority, received a first-degree felony charge for abuse of official capacity, using more than $300,000 U.S. government funds for his own benefit, and money laundering with underlying criminal activity being theft and abuse of capacity. Veronica Ugorji and Kenneth Jones, both contractors, were charged with abuse of official capacity and money laundering.
The group allegedly set up a scheme where they directed money to vendors to maintain vacant lots in Houston’s Third Ward. The vendors were supposed to keep the landscaping maintained, tear down blighted structures, and provide general maintenance. However, the work was never done. In all, the group laundered about $8.5 million and spent it on “flashy cars, nice houses, super living, trips, and pornography,” according to Ogg.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/local/trio-indicted-for-corruption-in-houstons-midtown/
