A Minnesota resident who previously lived in Holliston, Massachusetts, has been arrested and charged with theft of government money for allegedly receiving emergency rental assistance funds under false pretenses. The funds were intended to help people unable to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yvonette Joseph, 45, of Minneapolis, was taken into custody on August 26, 2025. She appeared in federal court in Minnesota and is scheduled to appear later in Boston.
Authorities say that in November 2021, Joseph received over $100,000 from the California Department of Housing & Community Development through the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. The ERA program was created by Congress in 2021 to support low-income households with rent and utility payments during the pandemic. Applications were submitted listing Joseph as a landlord for a property in Los Angeles. After receiving the funds, she allegedly transferred part of the money to a bank account in Nigeria and kept the rest for herself.
If convicted, Joseph faces up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss (whichever is greater), as well as forfeiture and restitution. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Loren J. Sciurba, Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney is handling the prosecution.
The Department of Justice formed the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021 to coordinate efforts across agencies against pandemic-related fraud schemes. More information about these efforts can be found at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Reports of attempted COVID-19 fraud can be submitted through the National Center for Disaster Fraud’s online form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
