Sharilene Jeff and Sandra Jeff indicted in Santa Ana Pueblo housing fraud
Sharilene Jeff and Sandra Jeff were indicted in a federal housing fraud case tied to Tamaya Housing Incorporated at Santa Ana Pueblo. Prosecutors say the two sisters allegedly paid fake vendors and pocketed most of the money meant for tribal housing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced the charges Tuesday. Tamaya Housing Incorporated is a tribally designated housing entity for Santa Ana Pueblo.
It receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Indian Housing Block Grant Program. The program provides affordable housing to Pueblo members.
Sharilene Jeff, 51, served as interim executive director of Tamaya Housing Inc. Sandra Jeff, 58, worked as office manager, according to the indictment.
From November 2021 through May 2022, the sisters allegedly conspired to cause Tamaya Housing Inc. to pay individuals for work they had not performed. The recipients then returned most of the money in cash.
In April 2022, Sharilene Jeff allegedly caused about $50,000 to be transferred from Tamaya Housing Inc.’s bank account to an individual who had performed no work. Later that month, Sandra Jeff traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada.
She allegedly collected about $40,000 in cash from that individual in Las Vegas, according to the indictment.
The following month, Sharilene Jeff allegedly caused about $63,500 to be transferred to another individual. She instructed the recipient to withdraw $40,500 in cash and keep $23,000.
Sharilene Jeff later collected cash from that individual at a work conference in Seattle, Washington. Sandra Jeff subsequently collected additional cash from that individual in Arizona.
The indictment alleges the sisters told the recipients to withdraw cash in small amounts. They also told the recipients to falsely claim contracts existed if questioned.
“Every dollar stolen from a federally funded housing program is a dollar that cannot be used to serve the families who depend on it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison in a news release.
“These programs depend on the integrity of the people responsible for administering them, and allegations of theft undermine the trust that makes them work.”
Ellison added: “We will work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who divert federal resources for personal gain, regardless of the positions they hold.”
Sharilene Jeff is charged with one count of conspiracy and five other counts of theft from Tamaya Housing Inc. Sandra Jeff is charged with one count of conspiracy and two additional counts of theft.
Sharilene Jeff is detained pending trial. Sandra Jeff is on release under federal supervision pending trial. Trial has not yet been scheduled.
A federal indictment is a formal charging document returned by a grand jury. It does not establish guilt. If convicted, each sister faces up to 10 years in prison.
