FAIRMONT — United States Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi ordered a COVID-era organization and its CEO to hand over documents in a misuse of funds case under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The Unites States’ preliminary investigation, which has been in conjunction with the West Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Inspector General, indicates that Dunbar Stop may have misused funds the grant funds for nepotism, excessive executive salaries and bonuses, ATM withdrawals, luxury vehicle rentals, travel and food,” states court documents. The Dunbar School Foundation Stop Program (Stop the Outbreak of the Pandemic) received two grants from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to prioritize testing and vaccinations for minority populations in Fairmont, Morgantown and Clarksburg during the pandemic. Romelia Hodges, of Fairmont, served as its executive at the time.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of W.
Va. demanded Dunbar Stop, in care of Hodges, produce documents and answer questions related to the use of funds on May 20, 2024. U.
S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld gave Hodges 20 days to deliver answers to 16 questions and documents to Investigators Gwendolyn Grove and Assistant U.S.
Attorney Stephanie Savino. The department conducted the investigation under the auspices of the False Claims Act. Investigators requested information on Dunbar Stop’s employees, familial relationships between the CEO, chief operating offi.
