Priscilla Orange, 67, of Oklahoma City, has been found guilty of obstructing a federal audit and committing two counts of federal program theft. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Orange owned and operated Rainbow Connection Child Care & Learning Center, which had several locations in the Western District of Oklahoma. According to evidence presented at trial, the Oklahoma Department of Education began auditing reimbursements that Rainbow Connection received from the Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in 2021. The CACFP is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and funds meals and snacks for low-income children at participating childcare centers. Since 2013, Rainbow Connection had received about $1,555,000 from this program.
The purpose of the audit was to confirm whether Orange had provided as many meals and snacks as she claimed each month for reimbursement purposes. Testimony revealed that Orange tried to interfere with this process by submitting false food-related expenses to state officials.
Further evidence indicated that Orange applied for and obtained nearly $500,000 in childcare stabilization grants (CCSGs), which were funded by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and required to be spent on approved business costs. However, records showed she used accounts tied to Rainbow Connection for gambling at local casinos and diverted substantial amounts for personal use.
At sentencing, Orange could receive up to 25 years in federal prison along with fines totaling up to $750,000.
“This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” according to the press release. “Assistant U.S. Attorneys D.H. Dilbeck and Jackson D. Eldridge are prosecuting the case.”
“Reference is made to public filings for additional information.”
