A Missouri woman allegedly stole nearly $11 million intended for low-income children in a staggering case of charity fraud, prosecutors revealed Tuesday. Connie Bobo, 46, ran the New Heights Community Resource Center in Bridgeton, claiming she spent $20 million of federal funds to feed children from February 2019 to March 2022 — but records show she spent less than half on actual food.
“[She bought] a mansion for herself, houses for her family and a bright yellow Mercedes for her boyfriend,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow told jurors during Bobo’s federal fraud trial. The indictment alleges she funneled $1.4 million to her romantic partner, Howard Hughes III, who purchased a Mercedes-Benz G550 Wagon 4X4 Squared with the funds.
Bobo reportedly spent $2.2 million on commercial real estate investments and purchased seven properties in total, including a nearly $1 million mansion in St. Charles. To hide her scheme, prosecutors said she forged documents and listed family and friends as board members without their knowledge. “Every step that Ms. Bobo took was for the best interest of the community and an attempt to give back,” her attorney, Katryna Spearman, argued in court, claiming Bobo had no intent to violate federal rules.
The New Heights program was federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, designed to provide meals for vulnerable children. Prosecutors emphasized that Bobo diverted taxpayer money for personal gain, fueling what they called one of the most audacious charity fraud schemes in recent memory.
Jurors are now weighing evidence showing a pattern of lavish spending, deception, and attempts to cover her tracks while the children the funds were intended to help received far less than promised.
