COLUMBUS, Ohio — The former director for the Athens Metro Housing Authority (AMHA) was arrested on charges related to the theft of more than $1.5 million from the agency for personal use.
The Athens County Prosecutor’s Office announced 57-year-old Jodi Rickard was taken into custody Monday and indicted for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft in office, aggravated theft of $1.5 million or more, telecommunications fraud, tampering with evidence and tampering with records.
“Rickard is accused of violating the public trust to live an extravagant lifestyle from funds designated to helping people with the basic necessity of housing. If convicted, she will face mandatory prison time,” Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said.
The Auditor of State led the investigation into Rickard following an anonymous tip regarding theft from the AMHA.
“Prosecutor Blackburn and SIU have a strong track record of working together to ensure justice is served when public officials lie, cheat, or steal from Ohio’s taxpayers. This is just one more example of someone who thought they could outsmart law enforcement, but instead face time behind bars,” Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber said.
The theft is alleged to have taken place from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 9, 2022. The indictment also contains a forfeiture specification of real property due to Rickard using AMHA funds to pay off her mortgage.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the expenditures by Rickard are alleged to include payments for her personal benefit made to Discover (72 checks totaling $1,286,659), Capital One (28 checks totaling $261,708) and WesBanco (one check totaling $34,000) used to pay off her mortgage.
An additional check was written by Rickard for $16,000 to Discover in December 2022 but payment was stopped before it cleared.
In addition to paying off her mortgage, the prosecutor’s office reported that Rickard has taken numerous vacations, spending large sums of money during those vacations, installed an in-ground pool and purchased numerous other material items.
Rickard was arraigned Tuesday and given a $1.5 million bail. Additionally, she was ordered to have no contact with AMHA employees, no access to AMHA financial accounts, forfeiture of passport and OPERS and bank accounts to be frozen.
