A D.C. interior decorator was charged with committing fraud to obtain a $1.3 million homeland security contract to decorate the new Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in Southwest Washington.
According to charging documents filed in federal court in D.C., Darlene Mathis-Gardner and her conspirators provided fake invoices in an attempt to show that her firm had performed similar renovation projects. They also claimed that employees had security clearances and professional certifications when they did not, documents said. According to Opensecrets.org, her firm has secured $9.6 million in government contracts since 2001. Mathis-Gardner faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
— Scott McCabe
