A Richmond woman has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after authorities found she stole funds meant for a homeless shelter serving women and children in the city.
Court documents show that Kia A. Player, 41, secured a grant to run RVA Sister’s Keeper, an inclement weather shelter in the Richmond metropolitan area. The shelter received over $995,000 in funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Richmond.
Between August 2022 and April 2023, Player, as director of RVA Sister’s Keeper, created at least 35 false invoices for costs supposedly paid for the benefit of the shelter. These expenses were never actually incurred. She submitted these fraudulent invoices to the City of Richmond for reimbursement, leading to improper disbursement of public funds.
Among her actions, Player submitted at least 21 inflated invoices for payments allegedly made to “VCM Catering Services” for meals at the shelter. Authorities say this business was fictitious. Instead, an acquaintance who managed a school cafeteria provided some food by taking it from school supplies already funded by public money. Additional fabricated invoices included those for bed bug treatment, laundry services, cleaning services, and supposed renovations such as roof repairs and plumbing upgrades that never took place.
The fraudulent scheme resulted in $199,163 in losses to HUD and the City of Richmond. According to investigators, Player used proceeds from her scheme on personal expenses including a tattoo, airline tickets, a luxury ferry ride in Miami Beach, furniture purchases, and antiques.
Player is scheduled for sentencing on February 25, 2026. She faces up to 20 years in prison; however federal sentences are often less than maximum penalties due to judicial discretion based on guidelines and statutory factors.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and George Richardson III with HUD’s Office of Inspector General announced the plea after it was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., noting assistance from Richmond’s Office of Inspector General during prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth is handling prosecution duties in this case.
Additional information about this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER under Case No. 3:25-cr-146.
