Remaining defendants in trial this week for allegedly stealing millions from South Bend Housing Authority
UPDATE: On October 1, all three defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.
ORIGINAL STORY:
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Trial is underway for the remaining three defendants indicted as part of a federal investigation for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from the South Bend Housing Authority.
Tonya Robinson the former director of the South Bend Housing Authority and the two co-defendants, Albert Smith and Doug Donnelly, were all present in court this afternoon.
The 12-person jury, with three alternates, was selected this morning and it's up to them to determine the fate of these defendants.
Monday, attorneys delivered opening statements and the government called its first witness to testify, retired FBI agent, Paul Allen, who was one of the lead investigators on the case.
Prosecutors presented several documents, including bank records, call logs, and invoices.
The FBI began investigating back in 2018, after the South Bend Housing Authority allegedly wrote multiple checks to a number of contractors for property improvements that investigators claim were never actually completed under Robinson's lead between 2014 and 2019.
Smith and Robinson are accused of depositing that money into their personal bank accounts, spending much of it at local casinos.
Three others, including Tonya Robinson's daughter, have already pleaded guilty and are expected to testify for the prosecution.
The trial is expected to last until the end of next week, so far things are still on schedule.