WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Worcester’s former top housing official has been convicted by a federal jury of conspiring with a developer to steal federal funds earmarked for an affordable housing project.
Jacklyn Sutcivni, who served as the former city manager’s chief of staff for economic development, was convicted Tuesday of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the government and aiding and abetting fraudulent claims, The Telegram & Gazette reported.
Sutcivni was released pending sentencing scheduled for Dec. 14. She declined to comment outside of court.
Prosecutors said developer James Levin submitted — and Sutcivni approved — fraudulent reimbursement forms that resulted in the city paying $2.3 million in federal funds between 2010 and 2012 for work never performed.
Levin had agreed to accept federal funds to rehabilitate a 13-unit building into affordable housing.
He is serving a three-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to identical charges.
Prosecutors said Levin orchestrated the sale of a city condo to Sutcivni that she did not live in but which she used to satisfy a city residency requirement.
Sutcivni, who changed her name from Jacqueline Vachon Jackson in 2013, argued that she was a scapegoat for the city’s poor internal controls.
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