Cantonment Woman Begins Jail Sentence For Defrauding State Of $352K In Daycare Scheme

February 11, 2020

A Cantonment woman has reported to the Escambia County Jail to begin a six month sentence for a scheme involving a daycare that defrauded the state out of more than $350,000.

Eboni Moorer Singer, 38, was convicted last month on three counts of public assistance fraud. In total, the Florida Department of Financial Services said Singer and Roletta Shelton fraudulently accepted $352,622.09 in public assistance funds. She will be on probation for 15 years following her release and was ordered to pay restitution.

The state says the two women knowingly conspired for Shelton to act as the owner of the business actually owned by Singer and falsified state contracts, bank accounts and other documentation in order to conceal the identity of the true owner.

In June 2011, Singer, doing business as Legendary Pre-School was disqualified by the USDA Food Program for seven years due to submitted false claims to the Department of Health for Child Care Food Program funds. In June 2012, her contract with the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) of Escambia County was terminated due to her USDA disqualification.

Singer then transferred to the business to her husband who renamed the business Legendary Kids Pre-School. His contract with the ELC was terminated in 2014 and his eligibility was revoked for five years.

Investigators said that in response to being in eligible to received state funds for their daycare, Singer and her husband recruited Shelton to act as owner of the business for them. Shelton renamed the business Legendary Christian Pre-School. Shelton then signed numerous agreements with the ELC to provide subsidized Voluntary Pre-K and childcare services.

According to investigators, Singer leased the school’s location on West Fairfield Drive, and Singer and her husband owned both of the preschool’s vans. In addition, the business bank account was joint between Shelton and Singer, and Singer made transfers to and from her personal bank account.

Shelton was sentenced to five years probation but not did not receive any time in jail. Both were ordered to make restitution and are barred from participating in any childcare facility that bills any government agency.

Comments

13 Responses to “Cantonment Woman Begins Jail Sentence For Defrauding State Of $352K In Daycare Scheme”

  1. tax payer on February 13th, 2020 8:17 am

    The state paying for child care is fraud.

  2. mike on February 12th, 2020 11:10 am

    i’m assuming the husband got a free pass, since he’s not mentioned as being charged or sentenced. you’ve gotta hand it to this little gang, they found a way to rob the system instead of going out and doing petty crimes like shoplifting, but were not smart enough to not get caught. what happened to all that money? they musta lived like kings for a time. that money will never be recovered.

    the public assistance program is the only thing keeping riots outta the streets, i’d hate see what happens when the economy collapses and there is no money coming in from the working class to support the public assistance class. it will be like a zombie apocalypse. :(

  3. chris on February 11th, 2020 2:13 pm

    @ Earl: I’m educated on the court of public opinion.

  4. Earl on February 11th, 2020 11:16 am

    Perhaps everyone on here should run for Judge then…being you are so educated on law
    I never approved of the educational system giving social promotion..then again..it wasnt up to me to give social promotion

  5. chris on February 11th, 2020 11:04 am

    I see desperation to get that govt money! And then only 6 months to repay money she does not have. Cannot get blood out of a rock.

  6. Beth on February 11th, 2020 10:23 am

    SIX MONTHS?? No punishment at all. She will be back doing the same thing.

  7. katherine lindley on February 11th, 2020 10:07 am

    6 months, thats laughable. no wonder people commit these crimes. they should all be banned from EVER getting assistance of any kind. and they should have to pay back EVERY penny they stole. after all that is tax payer dollars, so they actually stole from all of us. the judges should be voted out.

  8. alan on February 11th, 2020 9:51 am

    Yes indeed, crime really does pay very well in Escambia County. We all know that she will never pay that money back. And, only six months in jail? The judges around here really are soft on crime. Every one of them should be voted out of office.

  9. David on February 11th, 2020 9:46 am

    Now she’ll get on public assistance and pay back her debit $10.00 every month with out tax dollars.

  10. retired on February 11th, 2020 8:39 am

    should have to pay restitution double what she stole and no more public assistance!!!!!

  11. JTV on February 11th, 2020 6:31 am

    6-months sure doesn’t deter people from trying this.

  12. Willie on February 11th, 2020 6:10 am

    Only 6 months in jail for stealing
    $350,000.00. Pretty good deal

  13. Stumpknocker on February 11th, 2020 1:03 am

    Crime pays extremely well around here. She should have gotten 10 years and the other 5 years.