Missouri Charity Head Accused of Embezzling $11 Million
A Missouri charity leader has been accused of stealing nearly $11 million that was intended to help low-income children facing food insecurity. Connie Bobo, 46, who oversaw the New Heights Community Resource Center in Bridgeton, reportedly splurged on luxuries like a mansion and an eye-catching yellow Mercedes for her boyfriend, according to prosecutors.
Bobo allegedly claimed to have spent $20 million in federal funds on meals for children from February 2019 to March 2022. However, the authorities assert that less than half of that amount was actually used for food. Instead, she directed a significant portion of the funds toward real estate and luxury goods, including giving approximately $1.4 million to her boyfriend.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Crowe shared details during the trial, stating that Bobo acquired several properties, including a nearly $1 million mansion in St. Charles and provided her boyfriend, Howard Hughes III, with a flashy new car.
In October 2023, a federal indictment detailed her extensive purchases, revealing that she invested $2.2 million in commercial real estate linked to the program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Additionally, she reportedly spent around $212,000 on a Mercedes-Benz G550 Wagon 4X4 Squared. To mask her actions, prosecutors allege that Bobo listed friends and family as directors of New Heights without their consent to cover her tracks.
A friend, Dasia Betts, expressed her shock upon learning that she had been listed as the vice president of the nonprofit, only after being contacted by the FBI.
Bobo’s attorney defended her, arguing that she had no intention of breaking federal laws and was attempting to rectify her actions prior to her arrest. The lawyer insisted that Bobo’s decisions were made with the community’s best interests in mind.
Facing serious charges, Bobo has been indicted on three counts, including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, related to falsifying invoices for a food vendor. She could be looking at a 20-year prison sentence.
