Beaver Falls woman accused of misusing $13,000 in federal housing money

A Beaver Falls woman is accused of misusing about $13,500 of federal housing assistance payments.

Janile Fielding, 56, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

According to the indictment, from about June 2013 until about May 2017, Fielding used housing assistance payments for her other expenses. The money is only to make mortgage payments.

She is accused of one count of theft of federal funds and three counts of filing false documents to the government.

According to court papers, Fielding sent a letter to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department stating she had deposited the money in an interest bearing account and would have a penalty if she withdrew the money sooner. However, the government alleges she actually spent the money.

She also is accused of filing false documents to explain how the money was spent.

According to federal officials, Fielding also gave federal offices two invoices, one for $11,200 and the other for $2,350 worth of repairs that had been done to her residence. The paperwork was marked paid in full.

But prosecutors say she pocketed the money and no such repairs were done.

She is scheduled to be formally charged on April 3 at federal district court in Pittsburgh.

Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case.

The Inspector General Offices of HUD and the Department of Agriculture conducted the investigation.