A Lafayette man and his two daughters have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud, following accusations that they orchestrated a scheme to defraud a federal program designed to provide nutritious meals to children and adults in need. The three individuals—Brian Desormeaux, 64, and his daughters, Amy Desormeaux Hernandez, 38, and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, 35—are accused of misappropriating funds intended for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
According to the indictment, the Desormeaux family operated a Louisiana non-profit organization, Regional Nutrition Assistance, Inc. (RNA), based in Scott, Louisiana. Brian Desormeaux served as the Executive Director of RNA, while his daughters held key roles within the organization: Amy as Assistant Director and Lenzi as Senior Program Manager. RNA was responsible for administering the federal food program in certain areas, specifically targeting in-home daycares that provide food to children and adults in care.
The CACFP is a federal program that provides funding to assist state programs that supply nutritious meals to participants in non-residential institutions such as daycare homes, where children and adults are cared for. The program’s goal is to ensure the health and well-being of young children, elderly adults, and those with chronic impairments by providing access to nutritious food.
The indictment alleges that Amy Desormeaux Hernandez manipulated the program’s online portal to circumvent monitoring requirements. According to the charges, Hernandez would change daycare provider statuses from “active” to “inactive” at the beginning of each month, then back to “active” at the end, allowing financial claims to be submitted for reimbursement without any oversight or verification of the actual services provided.
Additionally, the Desormeaux family is accused of submitting false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement, falsely reporting that meals were being served to children in certain daycare homes when, in fact, they were not. Some of the providers named in the claims were reportedly deceased when the reimbursement requests were submitted.
Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, the Senior Program Manager, is also accused of submitting fake state fire marshal inspections for these daycare homes, helping to falsify the documentation required to meet compliance standards for the program and secure reimbursement.
The indictment alleges that the fraudulent claims totaled at least $400,000, which was wrongfully obtained through these deceptive actions.
If convicted on all counts, the three defendants face significant penalties. Each charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The investigation into this case was led by the FBI and the Louisiana State Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook emphasized the seriousness of the charges and the importance of protecting federal programs intended to serve vulnerable populations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
This indictment underscores the ongoing efforts to combat fraud within federal aid programs, particularly those aimed at assisting children and vulnerable adults. The outcome of this case will likely have significant implications for those involved in administering and overseeing similar programs in the future.