Former Watertown Housing Director Pleads Guilty to Misusing Over $6,200 in Funds
The former executive director of the Watertown Housing Authority, Michael Lara, has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud after allegedly misusing over $6,200 in housing authority funds for personal renovations at his home.
Lara, 41, had access to the housing authority's Home Depot charge account and credit cards belonging to WHDC, a company he was also president of. He is accused of violating policy by using these funds for personal purchases beginning in 2022.
The alleged misuse occurred between November 2023 and January 2024, during which Lara made several large purchases at Home Depot and Moniques Bath Showroom, including bathroom fixtures worth over $3,160. He attempted to conceal the personal nature of these purchases by labeling them as '705,' suggesting they were for Chapter 705 housing operated by the Watertown Housing Authority.