A former executive secretary at the Boston Housing Authority, Helen Murray, pleaded guilty on Mar. 31 in federal court in Boston to one count of wire fraud for falsifying overtime forms and forging her supervisor’s signature.
The case highlights issues of employee oversight and financial accountability within public agencies. According to prosecutors, Murray admitted that she lied about working overtime and submitted fraudulent documentation over a period of nearly two years.
Murray, 41, of Malden, worked as an executive secretary at the authority from 2017 to 2024. Her duties included collecting weekly timesheets and overtime forms from other employees. She was also eligible for overtime pay herself. The process required pre-approval by senior management and submission of accurate records to her supervisor for electronic approval.
However, beginning in January 2023, Murray started submitting false overtime forms directly to payroll without her supervisor’s knowledge or permission. Authorities said she entered hours she had not worked and forged her supervisor’s signature before emailing the documents directly to payroll staff. Over this period, Murray submitted more than 100 falsified forms between January 2023 and August 2024, resulting in approximately $72,131 in fraudulent payments.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 7 before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox announced the plea agreement on Mar. 31. The Boston Housing Authority assisted with the investigation.