City of Chicago files lawsuit over alleged rental assistance fraud

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In a sweeping lawsuit filed on September 11, 2024, the City of Chicago is seeking to hold a group of property owners and managers accountable for allegedly defrauding the city’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The lawsuit, filed in the Cook County Circuit Court, accuses the defendants of submitting fraudulent claims to obtain over $200,000 in rental assistance funds that were intended to support low-income residents struggling to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The complaint, brought by the City of Chicago’s Corporation Counsel, names Ilyas Lakada, HAM Management, LLC, and its operators—Mohammed Anwar Hussain, Akhen Wilson, and Aashish Patel—as key defendants. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Sarmad Mahmood of assisting in the fraud by providing personal information for false applications. Together, these individuals and entities allegedly orchestrated a scheme to exploit federal funds earmarked for pandemic relief…

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