Two arrested for fraud of nearly $2 million from NC HOPE Program funds

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — 35-year-old Daquan Copeland (left) of Houston, TX and 51-year-old Esless White Sr. (right) of Jamaica, NY, pleaded guilty in federal court to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud by engaging in a scheme with others to defraud more than $187,000 from the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (NC HOPE) program.

According to the Eastern District of North Carolina, Copeland and White applied for emergency rental assistance through NC HOPE, where they and others submitted fake tenant leases for several properties in Lenoir County to support their applications.

Between November 2020 and December 2021, Copeland, White, and others submitted 23 fraudulent applications and stole more than $187,000 in government housing funds for their personal use.

Copeland and White both face up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to one million dollars when they are sentenced later this year.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG, and the SBI are investigating the case.