Framingham Housing Authority Embezzler Sentenced

FRAMINGHAM, MA - A Milford woman was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Boston in connection with embezzling more than $70,000 in rent owed to the Framingham Housing Authority, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Rosa A. Famania, 33, was sentenced to five months in prison and three years of supervised release. Famania must also complete five months in a residential or inpatient substance abuse facility upon her release from prison and pay approximately $70,649 in restitution to the FHA.

Famania pleaded guilty in December to one count of embezzling money from an agency receiving federal funds.

Famania began working for FHA as an accounting assistant in February 2010. Her responsibilities included collecting cash rent payments from FHA tenants, recording the cash payments in the FHA electronic accounting system, securing the cash payments in a locked cash box, and depositing the cash payments into an FHA bank account, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

She was suspended in 2015 in connection with an internal investigation into missing rent payments. She resigned shortly after.

Between February 2014 and August 2015, Famania stole approximately 181 cash rental payments worth a total of $70,649 and used an FHA accounting software program to conceal the thefts. She would collect the cash, keep the money, and adjust the tenants' balance downward using accounting software.

From July 2014 to July 2015, Famania deposited approximately $55,100 in cash to a personal bank account, the DOJ said. From August 2014 to August 2015, she transferred approximately $41,400 of those funds in the form of treasurer checks into another one of her bank accounts. She also obtained 19 money orders totaling $17,900 in 2014.