According to the federal grand jury indictment — filed on Feb. 13 in Greensboro with the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina — the Chatham County Housing Authority (CCHA) awarded more than $200,000 to friends and relatives of JoAnn Johnson Davis, who has served as CCHA’s executive director since 2012. The indictment says Davis used her position to fraudulently award contracts to family and friends in exchange for cash kickbacks.
Davis began working for the CCHA in July 2012.
Undisclosed date in 2016: Davis awarded a relative a contract with CCHA for event planning. The relative did not prepare or submit a bid for the contract, but cashed a check from CCHA for $4,000 then gave $2,500 in cash back to Felicia R. Little, a friend of Davis who is referenced in the indictment but is now deceased.
March 3, 2016: a relative of Davis deposited a check from CCHA for $800 for supposed services provided and transferred $500 to Davis.
March 17, 2016: a relative of Davis deposited a check from CCHA for $800 for supposed services provided and transferred $600 to Davis.
June 23, 2016: a relative of Davis deposited a check from CCHA for $800 for supposed services provided and transferred $700 to Davis.
July 25, 2017: Davis awarded a friend a small purchase contract with CCHA for Section 8 housing assessment. According to the indictment, Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit a bid for this contract, did not perform the work and did not prepare or submit an invoice related to the contract. The indictment also claims the two bids supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false. Davis’ friend later cashed a check from CCHA for $2,500 for the alleged assessment and gave $2,000 in cash back to Davis.
Dec. 11, 2017: a relative of Davis deposited a check from CCHA for $3,500 for supposed services provided and on Dec. 15, 2017, transferred $2,500 to Davis.
Jan. 29, 2018: Davis awarded a relative a contract with CCHA for a workshop entitled “Build Your Common Cent$.” However, according to the indictment, Davis’ relative did not prepare or submit a bid, perform the work or prepare an invoice relating to the contract. Also, the indictment claims the two bids supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false — one used the personal information of a person who was unaware that their information was being used and the other was submitted a friend of Davis, who is listed as a self-employed cosmetologist with no training or experience in the services she was bidding for. Davis’ relative later cashed a check from CCHA for $1,000 for payment related to the alleged workshop.
Sept. 26, 2018: Davis awarded a friend a contract with CCHA for a workshop entitled “Special Topics for Future Homeowners.” According to the indictment, Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit this bid or prepare an invoice. Also, the two bid proposals supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false and used the personal information of an individual and a business. Davis’ friend later cashed a check from CCHA for $4,000 for payment related to the alleged workshop and gave about $3,000 in cash back to Davis.
Oct. 12, 2018: a relative of Davis deposited a check from CCHA for $800 and a check from the Chatham County Housing Authority Initiative for $800, both for alleged services provided — and then transferred $900 to Davis.
Jan. 29, 2019: Davis awarded a friend a contract with CCHA for a “Home Run” workshop. Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit this bid, perform the work or prepare an invoice. Also, the two bid proposals supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false and used personal information of an individual. Davis’ friend later cashed a check from CCHA for $4,000 for the alleged workshop and gave $3,500 in cash back to her.
March 29, 2019: Davis and Candace A. Brunson-Poole, who also is listed in the indictment, agreed to generate a false resume for an unnamed co-conspirator in support of a bid proposal for a CCHA contract, without the unnamed person’s knowledge. Davis then awarded a contract for “HCV Program Recertification Processes” in the amount of $402 to the unnamed person even though she had not actually bid for the contract, was not qualified to perform the contracted work and the work actually was performed by Brunson-Poole. Brunson-Poole later instructed the unnamed person to cash the check issued by the CCHA and remit a portion of those funds back to her.
March 27, 2019: Davis offered a friend a job putting together packets for CCHA. Davis’ friend then cashed a check from CCHA for $4,000 for the alleged services.
Oct. 10, 2019: Davis awarded a friend a contract with CCHA for commercial landscaping services. Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit this bid and his name was misspelled on the invoice that was submitted. Also, the two bid proposals supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid were false and used the personal information of two individuals. Davis’’ friend cashed a check from CCHA for $4,000 related to the contract and gave about $3,700 in cash back to Davis.
Nov. 7, 2019: Davis awarded a member of her family a contract with CCHA for three different workshops. However, Davis’ relative did not prepare or submit the bid, perform the work or prepare an invoice The two bids supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false. Davis’ relative cashed a check from CCHA for $2,500 for payment related to the contract.
Nov. 8, 2019: Davis awarded a friend a contract with CCHA for “customer service training and surveys.” Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit a bid or prepare an invoice and the two bids supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false. Davis’ friend cashed a check from CCHA for $2,500 related to the contract and gave about $2,000 in cash back to Davis.
Nov. 25, 2019: Davis awarded a contract to her friend to “review and update the agency SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and Administrative Plan.” Davis’ friend did not prepare or submit a bid or prepare an invoice and the two bids supposedly competing with the fraudulent bid also were false. Davis’ friend later cashed a check from CCHA for $2,500 and gave about $2,000 in cash back to Davis.
February 2023: The 19-count indictment implicating Davis was released on Friday, Feb. 24. At her first court appearance in Durham last Thursday, Davis pleaded not guilty. During Thursday morning’s arraignment, prosecutors revealed a search warrant had been executed and evidence was collected and is being analyzed for further information.
Friday, March 10: A status hearing will be heard based on evidence gathered in last week’s search warrant.