PORTLAND, Ore. – The former president and director of an Oregon foster care agency was sentenced to over two years behind bars for money laundering and falsifying tax returns.
The Department of Justice said from at least 2008 to 2015, Mary Holden Ayala of Portland ran Give Us This Day, a private foster care agency and residential program for youth.
For most of her time with Give Us This Day, Ayala in charge of the organization’s finances. Prosecutors said during that period—and with little to no oversight—Ayala used the organization’s funds as her own, using stolen money to pay her mortgage, remodel her home, and pay for travel expenses. She also used Give Us This Day funds to pay for her own business ventures.
According to the DOJ, Ayala sole over $1 million from Give Us this day during a time which lower-level managers complained about a lack of basic necessities for kids, including food and toiletries.
Ayala was also accused of filing several false tax returns after she resigned her position at Give Us This Day.
“Mary Holden Ayala was responsible for protecting and caring for children in Oregon’s foster care system. Instead, she callously stole from them,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Stealing from vulnerable children she was entrusted to serve with taxpayer money is a despicable act and warrants severe consequences.”
In 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Ayala for numerous charges in connection with the investigation.
On February 7, 2019, following an eight-day trial, Ayala was convicted on five counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property and seven counts of filing a false federal tax return.
On June 21, Ayala was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and three years of post-prison supervision for stealing over $1 million from Give Us This Day.
A judge ordered Ayala to pay $239,192 in restitution to the IRS and $1,025,235 to satisfy a money judgment. More than $451,000 was forfeited from a property Ayala bought with Give Us This Day funds.
“Stealing money meant to pay for foster care expenses is reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Ryan of the HHS Office of Inspector General. “Such greed-fueled fraud can impact those in need and cheats taxpayers; however, today’s sentence shows that our hardworking investigators and law enforcement partners are committed to making sure criminals are held accountable for their actions.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.