United States Attorney
Northern District of Ohio

Gregory A. White
United States Attorney

Matthew B. Kall
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(216) 622-3915

Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy and theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The three defendants are John Cushmeer, age 56, of 2625 East 115th Street, Cleveland, OH; Larry Radcliff, age 45, of 470 East 109th Street, Cleveland, OH; and Shiryl Chambers, age 42, of 11915 Greenglen Drive, Houston, TX.

The charges stem from Defendants’ previous employment with the Cleveland Housing Network, Inc. (“CHN”). CHN is a non-profit corporation engaged in the rental of residential property primarily to low income individuals in Northeast Ohio. CHN received federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist in its operations. Cushmeer and Radcliff were employed as Regional Coordinators at CHN, and Chambers was the Maintenance Manager.

The indictment alleges that certain contractors hired to perform repair and rehabilitation work on CHN properties were required to kickback a portion of money CHN paid them to a Regional Coordinator in return for continuing to receive business from CHN. The Regional Coordinators also required certain contractors to seek payment from CHN for work that the contractors had never performed and to give these payments to the Regional Coordinator in return for continuing to receive business from CHN. At times, portions of these improper payments were shared with Chambers. Defendants also required certain contractors to perform repair work without compensation at Defendants’ personal residences and Defendants’ relatives residences in return for continuing to receive business from CHN.

If convicted, the sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, each defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Kall following investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and HUD Office of Inspector General.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.