Decatur Man Scammed City With Fake Counseling Service

DECATUR, GA — A Decatur man has admitted to scamming a Virginia city out of nearly a half-million dollars by falsely claiming he could provide counselors for at-risk students.

Keith Hayes, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court to mail fraud and tax evasion. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Aug. 13, although actual federal sentences usually are less than the maximum.

According to prosecutors and court documents, Hayes created a company called World of Opportunities and used it to defraud the city of Hopewell of more than $480,000, while also evading his person income taxes. The company was supposed to provide mentoring and counseling services to at-risk students at Hopewell's public schools.

Prosecutors say he had a close personal relationship with a person who worked as an administrator for the city. That person steered city counseling contracts to Hayes' company and appointed the company as the city's service provider for a number of students.

However, prosecutors say, World of Opportunities didn't actually employ any counselors and never provide any services to those students. Hayes billed the city for $480,875 between November 2011 and June 2015. During that time, he also evaded making any income-tax payments, despite taking in more than $588,000.

He owed more than $169,00, prosecutors say.

U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck, in Virginia, accepted the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett is prosecuting the case.

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