Lafayette Father and Daughters Sentenced for Child Nutrition Fraud
Summary
Brian Paul Desormeaux (64) was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison on February 3, 2025, for leading a yearslong conspiracy to defraud the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program. His daughters Amy Desormeaux Hernandez (38) and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux (35) were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for wire fraud convictions. The scheme involved submitting false fire marshal inspection reports and claims for inactive providers, diverting over $500,000 in federal nutrition funds for personal use.
Non-profits administering USDA child nutrition programs should review their reimbursement claim procedures, documentation controls for fire inspections and provider participation records, and ensure segregation of duties in financial management. The FBI's stated commitment to rooting out fraud in Louisiana and USDA OIG's explicit protection of program integrity signal continued enforcement focus on this program sector.
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What changed
Brian Paul Desormeaux received 36 months federal prison while his daughters Amy Desormeaux Hernandez and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux each received one year and one day federal prison after convictions for wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. The defendants, who operated Regional Nutrition Assistance Inc., submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims including false state fire marshal inspection reports and claims for non-active providers, diverting over $500,000 in federal funds.
Non-profit sponsoring organizations administering federal child nutrition programs face heightened scrutiny following this prosecution. Entities receiving federal nutrition assistance reimbursements should ensure documentation integrity, verify provider participation records, and maintain accurate inspection certifications to avoid similar enforcement action under federal fraud statutes.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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- Lafayette Father and Daughters Sentenced for Yearslong Conspiracy to Defraud Federal Child Nutrition Program ) # Lafayette Father and Daughters Sentenced for Yearslong Conspiracy to Defraud Federal Child Nutrition Program
Published: 02-05-2026 | Category: Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On February 3, 2025, Brian Paul Desormeaux, a 64-year-old Lafayette resident, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his role leading a yearslong conspiracy to defraud a federal nutrition assistance program operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). His co-conspirator daughters, Amy Desormeaux Hernandez, a 38-year-old Lafayette resident, and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, a 35-year-old Lafayette resident, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after their convictions for wire fraud as well, with Babineaux sentenced in November 2024 and Hernandez sentenced on the same day as her father.
“The Desormeauxs’ shameful scheme stole food out of the mouths of Louisiana’s children to satisfy their own greed, and they’re now heading to federal prison as a result,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Protecting Louisiana’s children from financial and other abuses is one of our Office’s core missions, and this case shows our commitment, alongside our federal and state partners, to investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The Desormeauxs stole half a million dollars of money that was allocated to help hungry children and adults in Louisiana, and we will not tolerate that criminal behavior," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "The FBI is committed to work with our state and federal partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to root out fraud in Louisiana and make sure those responsible are held to account.”
“The defendants exploited the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program intended to provide nutritious meals to children in need. They fraudulently claimed to administer the assistance at childcare programs and instead used it as a vehicle for personal financial gain. The USDA Office of Inspector General remains committed to protecting the integrity of USDA nutrition programs and safeguarding taxpayer dollars. We appreciate the strong partnership of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in holding those who commit fraud accountable,” said USDA Inspector General John Walk.
According to court documents, Desormeaux was the executive director of Regional Nutrition Assistance, Inc., a non-profit sponsoring organization for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federal program operated by the USDA and administered by the Louisiana Department of Education. Over the course of roughly five years, Desormeaux and his daughters, Hernandez and Babineaux, submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement from the federal government that involved, among other things, creating and submitting false state fire marshal inspection reports, which were required for reimbursement by the program, and submitting claims for alleged providers who they knew were not active and participating in the program. Desormeaux and his two daughters diverted these fraudulently obtained reimbursements for their own personal use and benefit, with the defendants receiving over $500,000.00 in federal funds that they were not entitled to.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
Press Release: DOJ, Western District of Louisiana
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 602 North 5th Street, Suite 621, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
PHONE NUMBER: (225) 342-4262 | FAX NUMBER: (225) 342-6761
FRAUD AND ABUSE HOTLINE: 866-201-2549
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