The former director of the Whitefish Housing Authority, Dwarne Lamont Hawkins, was indicted earlier this summer by a grand jury on charges brought forward by the U.S. Attorney’s Office including five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft from an organization receiving federal funding.
A redacted indictment filed in the U.S. District Court of Missoula in late June alleges that Hawkins “embezzled money by, in whole and in part, diverting and inflating payroll, paying personal expenses with the Whitefish Housing Authority credit card, and creating and paying fraudulent invoices to businesses over which he had control.”
The charges were first reported Wednesday by the Missoulian.
During an arraignment hearing on July 30, Hawkins entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges. Hawkins began working for the Whitefish Housing Authority in January 2023. His time as executive director for the Whitefish Housing Authority (WHA) ended in March 2024 and, according to a statement shared Wednesday afternoon by WHA, its leadership “shortly thereafter” discovered unauthorized financial transactions and reported them to authorities.
The wire fraud allegations, described in limited detail in the redacted indictment, specify five different deposits beginning in August 2023 and ending in January 2024, for a total of $106,346.43, sent to Green Bay, Wisc. “and elsewhere,” per court documents.
The first three of the five transactions highlighted in the redacted indictment were made between August and November 2023 and range from $1,920 to $2,284.61. On Jan. 16, 2024, the redacted indictment shows a deposit Hawkins allegedly made under fraudulent pretenses for $76,750. Six days later, on Jan. 22, another $23,250 was transmitted, per court documents.
In its statement Wednesday, sent by acting executive director Riss Getts, the Whitefish Housing Authority said it is continuing to actively cooperate with ongoing investigations and proceedings.
“As those entrusted with overseeing one of the area’s oldest affordable housing organizations, WHA’s leadership acknowledges the gravity of the housing crisis and the serious need for capable organizations up to the task of ensuring all community members have access to safe, dignified, and affordable housing.”
The statement continues, stating: “We are currently laser-focused on advancing current projects, strengthening our housing authority’s policies and procedures, and working with area partners to better serve our community’s affordable housing needs.”
The penalty for theft from an organization receiving federal funds can include 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. For wire fraud, the penalty can include 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.