A senior executive at the Atlanta Housing Authority is facing multiple federal charges, accused of exploiting housing assistance and pandemic relief programs for personal gain.

Federal prosecutors say Tracy Denise Jones, 61, of Atlanta, was charged in a criminal information with conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, wire fraud, and credit application fraud. Jones was arraigned on Dec. 19, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Jones has served since 2017 as Senior Vice President over the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8, overseeing one of the largest voucher programs in the country. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides rental assistance to low-income families and individuals and often has lengthy waiting lists.

Prosecutors allege that instead of safeguarding the integrity of the program, Jones used falsified documents to improperly enroll family members into Section 8 and then collected housing assistance payments for them to live in a rental property she owned. Housing authority employees are generally prohibited from receiving Section 8 payments for their own properties, and landlords are typically barred from leasing to immediate family members.

To conceal her involvement, Jones allegedly used a false name and a shell business entity to execute housing authority paperwork. Investigators say the scheme resulted in more than $36,000 in improper Section 8 payments. Prosecutors further allege Jones later attempted to obstruct the investigation by submitting a false affidavit and persuading associates to provide false information and documents on her behalf.

In addition to the housing fraud allegations, federal officials say Jones fraudulently obtained more than $27,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds through applications to U.S. Small Business Administration programs. Authorities allege Jones falsely claimed her businesses were operating, had multiple employees, and generated more than $56,000 in revenue in 2019.

When one application was denied, prosecutors say Jones appealed, asserting she was an honest business owner and emphasizing her work with low-income families — statements investigators allege were false.

Jones is also accused of committing mortgage fraud by falsely claiming a rental property was her primary residence while refinancing it for a loan of more than $219,000, and by stating she did not own other properties.

"A long-time senior executive of one of the largest housing authorities in the nation, Jones was entrusted to deliver vast sums of government assistance to our community's neediest members," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "But Jones allegedly exploited a variety of assistance programs and chose to line her own pockets."

HUD Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle said the alleged conduct "jeopardized the availability of HUD-assisted housing for those in our most vulnerable communities."

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford.

Federal officials emphasized that the criminal information contains only allegations. Jones is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The charges fall under broader efforts by the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established in 2021 to investigate and prosecute pandemic-related fraud nationwide.

Anyone with information related to suspected COVID-19 relief fraud is encouraged to contact the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint online through the DOJ.