Federal indictment alleges former Hinesville, Ga. housing authority director took kickbacks in $2.5 million scheme
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A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia indicted Melanie S. Thompson, the former executive director of the Hinesville Housing Authority, and Savannah contractor Toriono L. Byrd in July 2026. The indictment alleges that from September 2019 through October 2023 Thompson authorized false or inflated invoices to Byrd's business, that Byrd made return payments to her, that she directed payroll payments and bonuses to herself, and that she made false COVID-era loan applications to the federal government. Prosecutors allege a loss of more than $2.5 million to the authority, which operates 128 public housing units and rental-assistance programs in Liberty County. An indictment is an allegation, not a finding of guilt.
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