The executive director of a Missouri nonprofit stole $10 million from a program intended to provide meals for low-income children and blew it on mansions and luxury cars, her trial heard.
Connie Bobo, 46, ran the New Heights Community Resource Center in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton for a decade.
She enrolled the charity in two US Department of Agriculture-funded programs that reimburse nonprofits for distributing food to needy children, prosecutors said.
Bobo is accused of claiming $20 million in reimbursements for New Heights despite having only purchased enough food and milk to serve less than three million meals.
She instead used the funds ‘on a mansion for herself, on houses for her family and a bright yellow Mercedes for her boyfriend,’ her trial heard Tuesday, according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
Her attorney, however, told the jury that Bobo did not intentionally violate the rules of the federal program and had tried to correct the issues before her arrest.
The defense further alleged that all of her actions were made in the ‘best interest of the community and an attempt to give back’.
Bobo has been charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding.
Connie Bobo, 46, was charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding
She allegedly stole $10 million from a program intended to provide meals for low-income children and bought herself a $1 million mansion in St. Charles, Missouri (pictured)
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services paid out about $11 million from February 2019 to March 2022, after Bobo allegedly submitted reimbursement claims stating that New Heights served nearly six million meals.
Instead, according to the indictment, Bobo received $11 million in fraudulent funds, which she spent of five properties in St. Charles County.
She bought herself a $1 million mansion in St. Charles, which she claimed was New Heights’ office, purchased property for her relatives and used $2.2 million of the money on a commercial real estate investment, prosecutors alleged.
She also gave nearly $1.4 million to her romantic partner Howard Hughes III, who spent $211,907 of the funds on a Mercedes-Benz G550 Wagon 4X4 Squared, the indictment stated.
‘As her lies were discovered, the defendant used forged documents to try and cover up her crimes,’ Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Clow told the court Tuesday.
Bobo allegedly named her family members and friends as New Heights Board members on official documents.
Her former friend Dacia Betts testified during the trial that she only found out she was listed as the organization’s vice president after being contacted by the FBI.
She also allegedly gave nearly $1.4 million to her romantic partner Howard Hughes III, who spent $211,907 of the funds on a Mercedes-Benz G550 Wagon 4X4 Squared (pictured)
Betts, during cross examination, was asked if she had ever attended a board meeting for the nonprofit.
She alleged she attended some of Bobo’s family gatherings and they discussed their businesses, but claimed she made it clear she did not have the capacity to serve on the New Heights board.
Bobo, who also owned the Infinite Wisdom Early Childhood Center daycare, was indicted in October 2023 and remained free pending trial.
The court ordered she could not have access to any personal or financial information related to the child care facility.
But prosecutors in August last year learned she was still allegedly the leaseholder for Infinite Wisdom Early Childhood Center and controlling its accounts.
The judge revoked her bond and FBI agents arrived at her home to arrest her, but she refused to cooperate, prosecutors allege.
Bobo was caught trying to flee the residence when police breached the front door after a nearly two-hour standoff.
Her attorney, however, told the jury that Bobo (pictured) did not intentionally violate the rules of the federal program and had tried to correct the issues before her arrest. The defense further alleged that all of her actions were made in the ‘best interest of the community and an attempt to give back’
She was offered a plea deal three weeks ago, but refused to admit guilt before the judge, the Post-Dispatch reported.
Her trial began on Tuesday and is expected to continue into next week. Bobo could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted, and prosecutors are seeking reimbursement, including forfeiture of the homes and the SUV.
The Daily Mail has contacted Bobo’s attorney Katryna Spearman for comment.
