St. Louis, MO – March 14, 2025 - Two leaders of a St. Louis-area non-profit organization face federal charges following allegations of orchestrating a $7 million fraud scheme that exploited programs intended to feed low-income children in Missouri. Diarra Williams, 30, and Nicholas Warford, 31, both residents of Edwardsville, Illinois, were indicted on February 26 and arrested earlier this month, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The couple, linked to The Bailey Foundation, a non-profit based in St. Louis, are accused of defrauding Missouri’s At-Risk Afterschool Program and Summer Food Service Program—initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide meals to disadvantaged youth. The indictment, unsealed on March 4, details a sophisticated conspiracy spanning from March 2020 to July 2022, during which Williams and Warford allegedly misappropriated millions in taxpayer dollars meant to support vulnerable children.
Federal prosecutors allege that Williams, the executive director of The Bailey Foundation, falsely claimed the organization served over 2.2 million meals to children. In reality, authorities say, the non-profit grossly inflated its reimbursement claims, while Warford laundered the illicit funds through his company, Warford’s Classic Catering LLC, using fabricated invoices to disguise the scheme. One notable example cited in the indictment involves an April 2021 invoice claiming 208,456 meals were served—each supposedly including an eight-ounce serving of milk—despite evidence that Warford’s company purchased no milk and spent less than $5,000 on food.
The ill-gotten gains allegedly fueled a lavish lifestyle for the couple. Court documents reveal they used the funds to purchase a $1.4 million home in Edwardsville, as well as a fleet of luxury vehicles, including a 2018 Lincoln Navigator, a 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel pickup, a 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, and two 2021 Ram ProMaster vans. FBI agents seized several of these vehicles—a pickup truck, two vans, and a minivan—during the couple’s arrest on March 4.
Williams and Warford face a litany of charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of obstruction of an official proceeding. They entered not guilty pleas during their initial court appearance on March 4 and are scheduled for further proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
“The alleged fraud is beyond despicable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “The defendants allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars meant to feed low-income children in Missouri for their own use.” IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson echoed this sentiment, calling the accusations “egregious” and emphasizing that the arrests mark a step toward accountability.
The case is the latest in a series of federal investigations into fraud within Missouri’s child nutrition programs, which saw a surge in reimbursement claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lax oversight during that period reportedly enabled widespread abuse, with non-profits across the region implicated in schemes totaling millions of dollars.
The Bailey Foundation, incorporated in 2018 and headquartered at 4625 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, claimed on its website to partner with schools and organizations like University City schools and City Garden Montessori. However, federal authorities assert these partnerships were part of a façade to secure funding under false pretenses.
The investigation was a joint effort by the FBI, the USDA Office of Inspector General, and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Charges outlined in the indictment remain allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, they could face significant prison time and substantial fines, underscoring the government’s commitment to rooting out fraud in public assistance programs. 17GEN4.com
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