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A former nonprofit finance director was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison this week after pleading guilty last summer to theft of government funds intended for the non-profit organization.
Ashley Clark Ingram, 35, served as the finance director for Habitat For Humanity – an organization that seeks to build affordable housing for those in need. In that role, though, she deposited more than $300,000 intended for the organization into her personal bank accounts on six separate occasions.
According to the office of U.S. attorney Adair Ford Boroughs, Ingram applied for an employee retention tax credit from the IRS during the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of Habitat for Humanity – but did so without the knowledge of the nonprofit.
Ingram received checks totaling $388,550.75 from the U.S. Treasury and deposited these funds into a Habitat for Humanity account – which she controlled. She then transferred the money from the organization’s account into her own bank accounts. Boroughs’ office noted that in total, Ingram misappropriated approximately $514,672.37 from Habitat for Humanity and the federal government.
During the hearing – which would determine what punishment Ingram received – federal prosecutor Scott Matthews told U.S. district court judge Mary Geiger Lewis the case had a “terrible irony,” because Ingram’s motivating factor for stealing funds was for housing of her own family.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews discusses the scope and ripple effect of Ashley Ingram’s financial crimes against Habitat For Humanity—which resulted in a 24-month prison sentence for Ingram. @fitsnews pic.twitter.com/voYYVURujh
— Erin Parrott (@erinparrott24) February 11, 2025
Additionally, Ingram’s cousin, mother and husband spoke on her behalf to Judge Lewis, in hopes of a probation sentence of home confinement – as requested by her attorney, Jim Griffin. All three of her family members stated Ingram’s stealing of funds was “out of character” for her, noting she has a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
In a tearful statement to Lewis, Ingram said that she still has a hard time coping with what she did – and is even in therapy because of the depression that came with her actions. Griffin added that Ingram never spent the money she deposited into her accounts – that it was just sitting in the bank. He also stated that Ingram never denied responsibility and was focusing on how to pay the money back.
Although Ingram paid restitution, Judge Lewis said – before handing down her sentence – that making full restitution was not enough, and there “needs to be punishment.”
Despite having a zero level criminal history, Ingram was sentenced by Judge Lewis to two years behind bars with a fine of $10,000 and a $100 special assessment fee, followed by supervised release for two years. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Columbia, S.C. field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from J. L. Mann High School in 2021. She is currently a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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