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Former Houston Development Official and 2 Vendors Face Charges in $8.5M Public Funds Scheme

Summary

A former official from Houston’s Midtown Redevelopment Authority, Todd Edwards, along with vendors Veronica Ugorji and Kenneth Jones, faces felony charges for misappropriating $8.5 million meant for affordable housing in Third Ward. Edwards is charged with theft, abuse of official capacity, money laundering, and misapplication of fiduciary property. Ugorji and Jones face charges of money laundering and abuse of official capacity. The scheme involved fraudulent invoicing and payments to companies controlled by Edwards and his associates. District Attorney Kim Ogg and Mayor John Whitmire have called for public assistance in uncovering further corruption within the city's development agencies.

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