Key facts
- Former Hinesville Housing Authority executive director Melanie S. Thompson and business partner Toriono L. Byrd face federal charges.
- Prosecutors allege a $2.5 million fraud scheme involving false invoices, kickbacks, and fraudulent payments occurred from September 2019 to October 2023.
- Thompson is accused of awarding contracts to Byrd's company, Southeastern Coastal Property Maintenance Services LLC, without proper bidding procedures.
- Thompson allegedly created false invoices and authorized payments for work that was never completed or overvalued.
- Byrd is accused of paying kickbacks to Thompson from controlled accounts.
- The government is seeking forfeiture of over $3 million and a property in Savannah, Georgia.
Federal prosecutors have indicted Melanie S. Thompson, the former executive director of Georgia’s Hinesville Housing Authority, and her business partner, Toriono L. Byrd, on charges related to an alleged $2.5 million fraud scheme. The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, details a four-year period from September 2019 to October 2023 during which the pair allegedly used false invoices, kickbacks, and fraudulent payments.
Thompson is accused of leveraging her position to award contracts to Byrd's company, Southeastern Coastal Property Maintenance Services LLC, without adhering to standard bidding procedures. Prosecutors claim Thompson created fake invoices, sometimes emailing them to herself, and authorized payments for work that was either never performed or significantly overvalued. The indictment further alleges that Thompson directed repeated payments of $5,000 or less to evade detection by other agency staff, while Byrd allegedly provided kickbacks from his controlled accounts.
The scheme also involved Thompson incorporating Strategic Logistics Transportation Services LLC and purchasing two semi-trucks for nearly $30,000. These trucks were registered to her company. Additionally, Thompson allegedly issued fraudulent 'bonus' payments totaling approximately $30,000 to her own credit union account. Prosecutors noted that Thompson and Byrd were allegedly involved in an undisclosed romantic relationship.
The Hinesville Housing Authority, which provides affordable housing in Liberty County, Georgia, was the victim of these alleged fraudulent transactions. The indictment details numerous fraudulent payments, including 50 checks totaling over $194,000 authorized by Thompson on a single day in March 2021. She also allegedly authorized an unauthorized monthly stipend. The government is seeking forfeiture of over $3 million, a property in Savannah, Georgia, and any jewelry purchased with illicit funds.