Amarillo Federal Building/Photo by Noah Dawson
Amy Dixon had worked for the City of Amarillo since 2012. She served a key role in distributing federal grants to some of the city’s most in-need citizens.
Last week, she admitted in a plea deal to embezzling nearly half a million dollars of money meant to help house the homeless.
According to court documents, the scheme began in September 2020, when she “began completing fraudulent Payment Voucher packages,” using “a relative’s identity to create a fictitious landlord” to receive ESG funds.
She only stopped, according to court records, when she was moved to the city’s finance department in April of 2023. During the time she spent embezzling the money, Dixon created 223 fraudulent Payment Vouchers and embezzled $465,511.65.
The fraud was uncovered after the city noticed discrepancies in the funds. Dixon’s employment by the city ended in December of 2023.
Court documents note that Dixon was taught how to embezzle the funds by an unnamed co-conspirator.
The plea agreement notes that Dixon has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a federally funded program. The maximum sentence is five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and restitution. Her arraignment is set for June 17th at 1:15 pm at the federal court building in Amarillo.