Former Chester Housing Authority Director of Public Housing, His Chief Assistant, and Contractor Sentenced for Bribery and Fraud Schemes

PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Norman D. Wise, 58, of Mullica Hill, NJ, Douglas E. Daniel, 65, of Philadelphia, PA, and Leonard F. Coleman, 54, of Paulsboro, NJ, were sentenced this week by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone on bribery and fraud charges related to two schemes: (1) a bribery scheme in which Coleman paid off Wise and Daniel in exchange for contracting work awarded to Coleman at the Chester Housing Authority ("CHA"); and (2) a fraud scheme in which Wise and Daniel created a contracting company that they used to fraudulently bill the CHA and obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds.

During the time they engaged in these offenses, Wise was the Director of Public Housing for the Chester Housing Authority and Daniel was the Housing Program Manager and Wise's chief assistant.

The defendants were charged by information in connection with the schemes on August 29, 2023.

Wise pleaded guilty in September 2023 to theft from an organization receiving federal funds and wire fraud, and was sentenced on Monday to 37 months' imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and $544,967 in restitution.

Daniel pleaded guilty in September 2023 to bribery concerning federal programs, theft from an organization receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting, and wire fraud, and was sentenced on Tuesday to 13 months and one day of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and $544,967 in restitution.

Coleman pleaded guilty in October 2023 to bribery concerning federal programs and was sentenced Tuesday to one week in prison, three years of supervised release, and $68,502 in restitution.

"These defendants lined their pockets at the expense of an agency tasked with the critically important mission of providing affordable housing - an agency dealing with already-limited resources," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "They not only compromised CHA's efficacy and reputation out of sheer greed, they betrayed the public's trust. My office and our partners will continue to bring such corruption to light and those responsible to justice."

"These sentencings send the message that corruption will not be tolerated in our cities," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI and our partners will continue to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit the systems meant to aid our community and our citizens, and bring them to justice."

"The fraud committed by the defendants as part of these schemes diverted federal funds that were intended to provide safe housing for low-income families," said Special Agent in Charge Vicky Vazquez with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. "HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable bad actors who willfully abuse federal assets."

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.