Atlanta Housing Authority Executive Charged in Section 8 and COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

Atlanta, GA. — Tracy Denise Jones, a senior vice president at the Atlanta Housing Authority, has been charged in federal court with conspiring to steal government funds, committing wire fraud, and making false statements in a credit application, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors allege that from April 2017 onward, Jones oversaw the Housing Choice Voucher Program—one of the nation’s largest Section 8 programs—while secretly arranging for family members to receive vouchers and directing payments to her own rental property. Federal rules generally prohibit housing authority employees from receiving Section 8 payments for their own properties and bar landlords from leasing to immediate family members.

To conceal her involvement, Jones allegedly used a false name and a shell business to execute housing authority documents, resulting in more than $36,000 in improper Section 8 payments. Authorities say she later obstructed investigators by submitting a false affidavit and persuading associates to provide misleading information.

The government further alleges Jones fraudulently obtained more than $27,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 relief programs by claiming inactive businesses had employees and significant pre-pandemic revenues. When one application was denied, she allegedly appealed, asserting she was an honest business owner serving low-income families. She is also accused of mortgage fraud for falsely stating that a rental property was her primary residence while refinancing a $219,780 loan.

“Jones allegedly exploited a variety of assistance programs and chose to line her own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, adding that the conduct undermined aid intended for vulnerable households. HUD Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle said the alleged actions jeopardized HUD-assisted housing for families who rely on the program, emphasizing that enforcement efforts will continue.

Jones, 61, of Atlanta, was arraigned on December 19, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford. The charges also fall under the Justice Department’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which coordinates efforts to combat pandemic-related fraud nationwide.