United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada
07/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/28/2026 15:47
Reno Woman Indicted for Embezzling Nearly $400,000 in Federal Grant Funds
Press Release
Reno Woman Indicted for Embezzling Nearly $400,000 in Federal Grant Funds
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
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For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada
RENO - A Reno resident made her initial appearance in court yesterday for allegedly stealing federal grant award money intended for the improvement and maintenance of tribal lands.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from April 2024 to May 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the Yomba Shoshone Tribe grant money for an ongoing project to bring clean water to the members of the tribe and residents living on tribal lands. As alleged in the indictment, Blair Smith embezzled about $392,582 of funds awarded by the federal grant for the project.
Smith was charged with one count of federal program theft. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. A jury trial has been scheduled for September 29, 2026.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Nevada State Director Alida Ceballos for the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development made the announcement.
The USDA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Skyler Pearson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Updated July 28, 2026
Topics
Financial Fraud
Grants
Component
United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada published this content on July 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 28, 2026 at 21:47 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]