OR: Prison Food Administrator Indicted

Fred Monem, former Food Services Administrator for Oregon Department of Corrections, and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury in October. Charges included conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering. The federal government is also seeking the forfeiture of many of the Monem’s assets including $600,000 in cash, a BMW, a GMC Denali and a Chevy Silverado.

This story broke in January of this year after police raided the Monem’s home and found $450,000 in cash. Authorities think he and his wife took more than $1 million in kickbacks from food companies that contracted with the Oregon Department of Corrections. Before the investigation, Monem decreased the amount of money the state paid per prisoner for food to one of the lowest levels in the country and was praised by the Oregon Department of Corrections.

Mr. Monem is now a fugitive leaving his wife in Eugene to face arraignment for the crimes. The FBI has issued a "wanted" poster from Mr. Monem and is offering a $20,000 reward.

This news brief is based on stories in The Oregonian, Grand jury indicts pair in prison food scandal and Former Prison Food Administrator Lands on FBI's Wanted List. If the link is broken, check the newspaper’s archives.