ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Rochester resident George Moses was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for defrauding three nonprofits, filing false tax returns, lying to the FBI, and other charges, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
He was also sentenced to pay $360,000 immediately, and will serve three years probation after his time behind bars.
Moses, 53, is the former chairman of the Rochester Housing Authority, a government program that helps low-income individuals gain access to secure housing.
In November 2021, prosecutors said Moses was convicted of 28 charges. He was found guilty of defrauding Rochester Housing Charities (RHC), North East Area Development (NEAD), and Quad A for Kids.
RHC provides housing to the elderly and disabled. Prosecutors said that Moses used money from RHC and community grant funds for the following personal purchases:
- A new car
- A time share in Florida
- A cruise
- Tickets to a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden
- Car repairs for his family’s cars
- Personal credit card payments
- Multiple trips to Canada to visit his girlfriend at their apartment
From 2014 to 2018, Moses also was convicted of failing to report income received from NEAD and RHC on his taxes. He also took false deductions for his wife’s cleaning business, and falsely claimed childcare expenses.
Moses also served as Executive Director of the NEAD, which assists low-income residents in the Northeast quadrant of Rochester. As Executive Director he applied for and received a $125,000 grant for renovations.
Prosecutors said that Moses and a co-conspirator Shirley Boone then tricked the grant awarder into believing that NEAD paid an additional $45,000 for construction that never actually occurred.
NEAD received $45,000 in additional funding, which Moses was found to use to pay family members that worked at NEAD. Overall, Moses was found to have 17 family members employed by NEAD and RHD and on his personal payroll.
Moses was also found guilty of lying to the FBI regarding his 2015 hiring of Adam McFadden, following McFadden’s forced resignation at RHA. McFadden, a former city councilmember and former Interim Executive Director of RHA, pleaded guilty to defrauding RHC and is awaiting sentencing, prosecutors said.