A jury convicted two defendants in a scheme that stole roughly $13 million from federal programs administered by the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The programs supported elderly, disabled, and homeless people.

A jury convicted a New Jersey woman and her Colombian partner for orchestrating a nationwide scheme that stole approximately $13 million from federal programs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The funds were administered by the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and were intended to support programs serving elderly, disabled, and homeless people. The case, identified as Operation Thunder Hole, concerns the alleged misuse of taxpayer-funded assistance. The supplied report says the defendants were convicted, but does not provide their names, the precise methods used to obtain the funds, or the specific charges and sentencing details. The reported date is October 2, 2026. The source URL provided is the Justice Department’s general press-release index rather than a release specifically detailing this case, so the underlying case details should be verified against the relevant DOJ announcement before publication.