News - Missouri Childcare Fraud: Trio Indicted in $511K Scheme

In a significant development in Missouri, three individuals - Deaun A. Flowers, 61, Princess T. Jones, 47, and Toi P. Jones, 65 - have been charged with allegations of defrauding a state-run childcare funding program. The indictment charges them with wire fraud and theft of government property related to claims that they manipulated the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Child-Care Relief Funds (CCRF). These funds were designated under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRSSA) for either initiating new childcare services or expanding existing ones. The accusation outlines how these individuals, from August 2021 to February 2023, reportedly submitted fraudulent grant applications that resulted in substantial cash awards. These applications were supposedly made on behalf of multiple childcare centers, including 'Little Precious Angels Childcare 2' and '3', 'Above and Beyond Playmate Center', 'Totta Tots Daycare', and 'Childhood Memories Daycare and Learning Center'. The indictment specifically highlights that these operations pocketed funds ranging from $75,000 to $129,699, while Flowers reportedly generated a personal gain via kickbacks from these transactions. Moreover, it is claimed that after being required to repay some funds due to non-compliance, Flowers and Toi Jones issued personal checks deducting a portion. The defendants are also charged with creating false documentation, including receipts and invoices for expenses like equipment and salaries, to make fraudulent claims appear legitimate. LEAs like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the FBI involved themselves in the investigations that followed. U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus and HHS-OIG Special Agent Linda T. Hanley assert the importance of upholding the integrity of public-benefit programs and pledged vigilance to protect federal resources. As with all legal proceedings, the indictments lay out allegations, not confirmed facts. Each person charged is deemed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is tasked with prosecuting this significant case.