March 12 (UPI) — Three individuals have been charged with fraudulently seeking FEMA relief funds by falsely claiming their properties were damaged by the recent California wildfires that left 29 dead, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
A man and two women, two in southern California and one in Texas, this week were arrested for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency out of emergency benefits by claiming their homes sustained damage in the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in Los Angeles.
“These false claims resulted in badly needed disaster-relief money being denied to actual wildfire victims while these defendants allegedly used property information to illegally line their own pockets,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said in a release.
On Tuesday, Joyce Turner, Tyrone D. Barnes Jr. and Hedeshia Robertson were arrested but charged separately for allegedly lying in the wake of the wildfires that torched nearly 60,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.
“Criminals will seize every opportunity to defraud the government, even at the expense of those who have lost everything,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco of LA’s office for U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
FEMA offered various forms of relief including a one-time payment of $750, housing assistance for up to 18 months and up to $43,600 for financial assistance in the “other needs” category, which is where the three suspects lodged false claims of damage to personal property, lost vehicles and medical and relocation expenses.
“These suspects are accused of attempting to defraud the U.S. Government out of disaster relief funds carved out to help those who lost loved ones, pets, and homes,” wrote Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher in the LA field office of IRS Criminal Investigation.
“As well as those whose properties were damaged instead of destroyed,” he added.
Turner, 55, of Rosharon, Texas, allegedly submitted a forged lease claiming her home had been destroyed in the Eaton fire and allegedly obtained more than $25,000. An investigation discovered Turner not only appeared to of never lived in California, but had no connection to the address she claimed was destroyed.
Turner was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Texas’ Southern District.
Barnes Jr., 38, of Paramount, Calif., was accused in an indictment of allegedly filing disaster relief claims to FEMA for a property in Altadena. The property, however, was not owned by Barnes and reports said he did not know the true owners, who contacted FEMA about assistance only to learn that another individual already had submitted an application for their home. Barnes was due in court Wednesday, too, according to officials.
Lakewood, Texas, resident Hedeshia Robertson, 36, allegedly submitted a fraudulent application on Jan. 28 to seek benefit for a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that she did not own, did not rent and never lived or worked in. Robertson was on the receiving end of roughly $24,899 in FEMA benefits, and at the time of her arrest allegedly attempted to grab other FEMA benefits in a similar act on a San Francisco home.
Robertson also was due in court on Wednesday, and the three each face five to 30 years in a federal prison if convicted.
To report fraud related to FEMA disaster-relief public assistance, contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) hotline at (800) 323-8603. Its tip line may be contacted at (866) 347-2423.
