Longtime City of Amarillo employee admits taking $465,000 to house homeless

A longtime City of Amarillo employee admitted to taking $465,000 to house the homeless.

Amy Dixon agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to embezzle from a federally funded program.

Dixon worked for the city from 2012 until December 2023. She worked in the Department of Community Development as a Homeless Management Information Specialist.

Dixon would pay landlords a fair market rental fee in exchange for housing people who needed assistance.

According to court documents, Dixon used a relative’s name to create a fictitious owner to receive funds from ESG. She would tell the finance department to let her know when the checks were ready. Dixon would then pick up the checks and deposit them into her personal bank account.

After Dixon was transferred to the finance department in April 2023, the city noticed discrepancies in the ESG funds and conducted an internal audit.

According to court documents, from September 2020 to April 2023, Dixon created 223 fraudulent payment slips, resulting in 66 checks to a fictitious owner, for a total of $465,511.65.

Dixon said he learned how to prepare the fraudulent vouchers from “Co-Conspirator 1,” another former employee (unnamed in the court filing) who participated in a similar scheme.

Under the plea agreement, Dixon faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She must also pay restitution.

Dixon is scheduled to enter her guilty plea at her arraignment on June 17.