Henrico woman to serve six months in jail for fraud

A Henrico woman arrested last year on felony charges she fraudulently obtained nearly $30,000 by billing a state government contractor for work she didn't perform was sentenced this week to six months in jail.

Latoya S. Cook, 35, of Glen Allen, was sentenced in Henrico County Circuit Court to five years in prison on each of two felony counts of obtaining money by false pretenses. The judge suspended all but three months on each count and ordered Cook to remain on supervised probation for 10 years upon release. She also was ordered to pay restitution totaling $29,506.06.

Cook was arrested in July 2018 following an investigation of the Virginia Division of Capitol Police regarding the loss of more than $29,000 from Ampcus Inc., a Chantilly, Va.-based contractor for the Virginia Housing Development Authority.

Officials with the housing authority told Capitol Police that from July 2016 to March 2017, Ampcus had been billing VHDA for work performed by Cook, and VHDA had in turn been paying Ampcus for it. Cook, however, had been let go from her position on June 30, 2016. Cook’s time sheets from July 2016 to March 2017 appeared to have the signature of her immediate supervisor, but Capitol Police investigators determined the time sheets and signatures were forgeries.

“We appreciate the work of the Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in bringing this matter to an appropriate resolution,” said Col. Anthony S. Pike, chief of the Capitol Police. “The outcome shows we will vigorously pursue thefts from the Commonwealth of Virginia, its partners or other stakeholders.”

VHDA did not suffer a direct financial loss from the actions; the losses were incurred by Ampcus.