news

Lone Star Corruption Case: Aide Jailed.

Rodriguez misused public dollars for his nonprofit. He has now been sentenced.

Published July 1, 2024 at 4:35pm by Ella McCarthy

Former Austin Mayor Aide Sentenced for Payments From Nonprofit He Represented While in Office

An ex-aide to former Austin Mayor Steve Adler, 73-year-old Frank Rodriguez, has been sentenced to 3 years of probation and ordered to pay $21,375 in restitution for his role in conspiring to misapply federal funds and falsify records related to a federal contract. (Austin American-Statesman & DOJ)

Rodriguez, who co-founded the Latino HealthCare Forum, benefited the nonprofit with budget recommendations while leading Austin's Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission. An American-Statesman investigation* revealed he later received payments from the organization, which was granted $190,000 in federal funds based on false applications stating Rodriguez would work full-time on the project.

"I take full, total responsibility for my actions without any excuse, and I'm accepting the consequences of my actions...I will overcome this and continue to do good work for my community," Rodriguez stated. (Austin American-Statesman)