A woman tries to cheat the system and takes nearly $14,000 from Omaha Housing Authority. The 36-year-old woman was part of a family self sufficiency program, but is now under arrest.

As part of the program, the suspect, Sherene Carter, set goals for herself and as she accomplished them, OHA would set money aside in an escrow account. At the end of six years, her last goal was to get her GED. Although she said she completed it, she lied and turned in a false diploma.

Carter cashed the check on September 25, 2009, the same day Omaha Housing Authority issued it.

"It's a lot of money and it's our taxpayers' dollars being used in the wrong way," said Reggie Johnson of OHA.

The document Carter gave to OHA was a real adult diploma, but it wasn't hers.

"The dates were changed, obviously the name was changed, but some of the important things such as the signature lines, they were not changed," said Johnson. "When they're forged, the our tenants can take advantage of a program that we actually use to help our tenants out and give them money fraudulently."

OHA's attorney, George Achola, says charging Carter with a felony is the right step. "It's theft by deception, she lied to us to get it. If she would not have been able to produce this diploma, she would not have access to those funds."

Sherene Carter was part of the program which OHA designed to help their tenants go from renting homes to putting a down payment on a home of their own. Instead Carter spent all the money in less than two months.

"Unfortunately we did speak with the person in question, and she indicated there is no money left, she used it all for bills according to her," said Johnson.

Now OHA hopes to make an example out of Carter. "Anytime we uncover something like this, we've got to do all we can A: to deter the type of conduct, and B: to determine whether or not we can somehow make the taxpayers whole," said Achola.

"When this comes out and the public learns about it, particularly some of our tenants who are less honest we'll say, that they'll learn that these things can be easily caught and it will serve as a deterent," said Johnson.

OHA says they will not let something like this slip by them again. "No longer taking their words for any documents," said Johnson. "We certainly have audits in place right now, and we're ensuring that all of the documents, all of the goals have been met, if we check whether they are authentic or not, we're doing that now."

Channel Six News did speak with the woman who gave Carter her GED. She says Carter told her she needed the diploma to get her real estate license.

Achola says he will seek restitution if Carter is found guilty.