PALATKA, Fla. – A former employee of the Palatka Housing Authority, who pleaded guilty to funneling over $150,000 intended for the organization into a separate company he controlled, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for theft of federal funds.
According to the office of United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Thomas Hoffman, 46, was responsible for information technology and accounts payable for the PHA, which received federal funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
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The DOJ said Hoffman’s fraudulent activity began at least in July 2023 and continued through February 2025, which was exposed during an audit last year.
The audit disclosed that Hoffman had fraudulently issued about 48 payments from PHA’s general account into the account of an unapproved company called “Data Max.” Further investigation revealed that Hoffman owned and controlled Data Max, its corporate bank account, and used the funds for his personal benefit.
“Thomas Hoffman’s selfish actions caused harm to multiple potential victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle. “He engaged in a multi-faceted fraud scheme by stealing over $155,000 in federal funds that were intended to provide housing for vulnerable community members...He not only violated the public trust to oversee federal funds but also took away housing opportunities from our most vulnerable community members and job opportunities for other legitimate business owners.”
Read the full indictment below
The Palatka Housing Authority describes itself as an organization committed to building “better families and communities” and providing housing through the Public Housing Program and the Housing Choice Vouchers program.
PHA’s full mission statement can be found below.
The Palatka Housing Authority, in partnership with the community, is committed to providing affordable and quality housing options to eligible clients. We seek to create equal opportunities through education and training for residents to reach self-sufficiency and economic independence. In order to achieve our mission, we will strive to:
Palatka Housing Authority Mission Statement
The agency adds that it has been ranked as a “high performer” by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for public housing and management of the entity’s Section 8 program since 2018.