Seven new charges levied in food program fraud cases

NASHVILLE — Seven more people face indictments in a Tennessee conspiracy to defraud a federally funded food program, prosecutors announced last week

U.S. Attorney Donald Cochran’s office said a grand jury indicted the group of Tennessee residents on Oct. 11, and the filing was recently unsealed.

The indictment says the defendants defrauded USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program, claiming to be child care providers and applying through the organization All About Giving Inc.

The federally funded, state-administered program reimburses child care providers for low-income meals.

Facing charges are Alice Dunlap, 62, of Murfreesboro; Adrian Jennings, 23, of Madison; Brian Jennings, 46, of Springfield; Clarissa Jennings, 35, of Springfield; Juanita Mitchell, 61, of Murfreesboro; Nicole Golden, 41, of Hendersonville; and Patsy Mathis, 73, of Knoxville.

All of the defendants except Mitchell are relatives of LaShane Hayes, All About Giving’s founder. Earlier this year, Hayes pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy and admitted stealing more than $1.5 million in program funds. A judge sentenced her in April to three months in prison.

Prosecutors said the defendants overstated the number of providers and of children who actually received meals, cashed reimbursement checks and gave Hayes some of the money.