Lawsuit claims former Pierce County Housing Authority employee took millions

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A lawsuit alleges that the former Pierce County Housing Authority finance director took millions from a fund meant to help people get into affordable housing.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday accuses Cova Campbell of diverting millions and using much of it to buy real estate with her husband. PCHA Executive Director Charlie Gray said  the discovery was made in a routine audit by the state in July.

“A longtime employee appears to have engaged in fraud,” Gray said.

The suit, which names Campbell's husband Mark as a co-conspirator, accuses the couple of “falsifying accounts and account numbers, falsifying invoices, and routing PCHA funds to private accounts." The PCHA said “although the full scope of the defendants' thefts is presently unknown, it appears to exceed $4 million," and that stolen cash was used “to purchase 310 acres of real estate in Oklahoma for approximately $1.96 million."

Campbell was placed on administrative leave and then fired Aug. 8 when she failed to show up for an interview with management. Gray said despite the loss of millions in taxpayer money the housing authority's ability to do its job isn't impacted.

“For our landlords and those that reside in their housing, as well as housing owned and operated by Pierce County Housing Authority, their operations will continue as normal,” Gray told KIRO 7

The county has filed a restraining order to prevent the Campbells from selling any property that may have been purchased with diverted cash. Gray said he is not aware of any criminal investigation into the allegations.

More news from KIRO 7

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP 

Cox Media Group