United States of America v. Joel Ipina

Dallas, Texas, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Joel Ipina, age 50, was employed by DHA from 1995 to 2024. DHA receives federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a maintenance supervisor, Ipina was responsible for approving maintenance work orders and selecting contractors to perform work on properties under his supervision.

From approximately August 2019 through February 2024, Ipina carried out a scheme to enrich himself by steering maintenance contracts to a company he owned and controlled without DHA’s knowledge. As part of the scheme, he submitted fabricated competing bids to ensure contracts were awarded to his company and caused DHA to pay for work that was never performed.

“Joel Ipina’s selfish actions diverted almost $500,000 in federal funds intended to provide housing services to vulnerable community members and also took away the opportunity for other actual hard-working companies to compete for contracts and provide services to the Housing Authority of the City of Dallas,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron McCullough with the HUD, Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable individuals who take advantage of their positions of trust and misuse public funds.”

The Defendant elected to plead guilty and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.