On January 26, 2026, a former DOJ sub-grantee employee and his co-conspirator pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds; Kenneth Lawson and Areion Banks pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Louisiana. According to the factual statement in support of the guilty plea, from no later than April 11, 2024, through November 15, 2024, Lawson and Banks discussed and devised a scheme to embezzle grant funds from Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO), a DOJ grantee and Lawson’s former employer, by stealing checks made out to OPSO’s sub-grantees and converting the checks into cash. Lawson also diverted DOJ grant funds from OPSO to financial accounts under his custody and control without the knowledge or authorization of OPSO or DOJ authorities. The investigation is being conducted by the OIG’s Fraud Detection Office and the FBI.
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Plea