Karen D. Wilder and Renwick L. Davis, both former employees of the Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing (DIMH), pleaded guilty on August 8, 2025, to charges of theft of public funds. The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Julianne E. Murray and the pleas were accepted by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall.
Court documents reveal that between December 2021 and November 2023, Wilder, who served as Executive Director, and Davis, a Case Manager at DIMH, embezzled approximately $600,000 from the organization’s bank accounts through fraudulent means. The funds included federal grants awarded to DIMH by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Treasury intended for emergency housing assistance and critical medical aid during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Investigators found that Wilder withdrew cash from DIMH’s accounts under the pretense of providing emergency housing support but instead deposited these funds into her own bank accounts. Together with Davis, she also transferred about $150,000 in DIMH funds directly into Davis’s personal account claiming it would be used for rental or mortgage assistance for those in need. The pair reportedly spent the stolen money on luxury items, shopping trips, travel expenses, and even used some to pay Wilder’s personal mortgage.
U.S. Attorney Murray commented: “The defendants abused the trust of their positions and stole taxpayer dollars intended to provide essential services to Delaware’s most vulnerable citizens. The defendants’ greed deprived homeless individuals across southern Delaware of assistance they desperately needed. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer dollars and hold fraudsters who exploit government aid for personal gain accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with HUD’s Office of Inspector General added: “Wilder and Davis exploited their positions of trust to divert public funds away from the very individuals and families most in need,” stating that HUD OIG will continue collaborating with law enforcement partners to ensure justice.
FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno said: “For years, Karen Wilder and Renwick Davis lived large on the taxpayer’s dime. Not only did they steal hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they prevented those who truly needed these resources from receiving help intended for them. As their guilty pleas show, the FBI and our partners will not tolerate corruption. We remain committed to identifying and pursuing those who violate the public’s trust.”
The investigation was conducted jointly by HUD-OIG and FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. LaRosa is prosecuting.
Further details about this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware or by searching Case Nos. 25-CR-93 and 25-CR-94 on PACER or through the District Court for Delaware website.
