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Former USDA Program Director Sentenced to 24 Months in $400,000 Fraud Scheme

Official court records state Kirk Perry was sentenced for conspiring to bill the federal government for work that was never performed.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 8:49 a.m. ET
On August 7, 2026, former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program director Kirk Perry, 62, of Lorain, Ohio, was to 24 months in prison for his role in a kickback scheme, according to official court records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Perry to serve two years of supervised release and pay $399,319 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested restitution and a prison term of 33 to 41 months. The case remains open and developing as court proceedings continue for a co-defendant. According to official records, Perry pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud. Official court records state that from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry used his position as a senior director within the USDA's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to secure employment for his nephew, Jamarea Grant, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, as an Equal Opportunity Assistant under two federal contracts. Grant reported directly to Perry, who approved the invoices billing the government $399,319 for work Grant did not perform. Perry also accessed Grant's bank account and transferred approximately $125,000 of the payments to his own account. Grant pleaded guilty to the same charge on Nov. 27, 2024, and his sentencing remains pending. Official records also note that Perry engaged in the same scheme with his longtime partner, a cousin by marriage, and a personal acquaintance he previously coached in basketball. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro stated that Perry abused his authority and diverted taxpayer funds for personal gain. Special Agent in Charge Jeldrys Lowry of the USDA Office of Inspector General Sensitive Investigations Office stated that Perry ensured a family member was hired on contracts he oversaw to direct monies to himself. The investigation was conducted by the USDA OIG Sensitive Investigations Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Kelly.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 12:49current

    First published.

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