Duo pleads guilty to housing relief program scheme involving Lenoir County properties

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LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Two men pleaded guilty to taking thousands of dollars from a state housing relief program funded by federal COVID-19 pandemic assistance.

Daquan Copeland and Esless White Sr. pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says that between November 2020 and December 2021, the duo submitted more than 20 applications for emergency rental assistance through the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program, or NC HOPE program.

As part of the scheme, authorities say they and others submitted fake tenant leases for several properties in Lenoir County to support their applications.

The group took more than $187,000 from the program for their personal use, according to the feds.

The NC HOPE program helped prevent North Carolina renters from evictions and utility service cuts during the pandemic using federal funding.

Copeland and White both face up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to one million dollars when they are sentenced later this year.