A federal jury has awarded $1.7 million to two employees of the Camden Housing Authority after finding they were wrongfully terminated in retaliation for reporting alleged wrongdoing at the agency.

Gary Evangelista, director of security, and Kaberia Fussell, a housing specialist, were fired on Dec. 19, 2018, after raising concerns about unpaid rent, misuse of housing units, possible theft, fraud and preferential treatment for certain tenants.

Rather than investigate the claims, the agency dismissed both workers, according to the lawsuit.

In 2020, Evangelista and Fussell filed a whistleblower suit in federal court, arguing that their terminations violated their First Amendment rights by punishing them for protected speech and union activity.

A U.S. District Court judge in 2024 denied th

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