Former employee defrauds Philadelphia Housing Authority for $431k

    The FBI says a man who formerly coordinated maintenance-related purchasing for the Philadelphia Housing Authority defrauded the agency out of more than $431,000.

    Online court records don’t list an attorney for 40-year-old Richard Perri, of Philadelphia, who was charged Friday with defrauding a federally funded program and conspiracy with unnamed individuals. Perri doesn’t have a listed phone, and agency officials couldn’t immediately be reached for comment after hours.

    The FBI says Perri bought hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of materials then sold them at a profit which he split with the unnamed conspirator.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    Perry faces up to 15 years if convicted.

    The alleged scam occurred from 2002 through 2008. The FBI doesn’t say how long Perri worked at the agency, or when he left.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal