A Zimbabwean national, Ruth Chisina Mufute, has been arrested by special agents from the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG) on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a nearly decade-long scheme that allegedly defrauded a USAID-funded project of approximately $240,000.
Mufute, a former project director for a North Carolina-based non-profit organization, referred to in court documents as “Company 1,” was apprehended on April 29, 2025, following the unsealing of a federal indictment. Company 1 is a USAID implementing partner with operations in various countries, including South Africa, where the alleged fraud occurred.
According to the indictment, between June 2014 and May 2023, Mufute fraudulently claimed entitlement to a housing allowance by falsely representing that she was renting a house in South Africa. In reality, she owned the property and submitted fabricated documents and fake email correspondence with a fictitious landlord to support her reimbursement claims. MORE