5 folks had been arrested for allegedly submitting false claims that their properties had been broken within the January Los Angeles wildfires, the Justice Division introduced Friday.
The defendants, whose instances should not associated to one another, had been in a position to fraudulently acquire 1000’s of {dollars} in federal disaster-relief funds from the Federal Emergency Administration Company, in keeping with the Justice Division. They’ve been charged with fraud in reference to main catastrophe or emergency advantages they usually every face a most of 30 years in federal jail.
4 of the 5 defendants are from L.A. County, and people people had been arrested on Thursday. One defendant is from Arizona and was already in state custody on an unrelated matter when she was charged.
To date, FEMA has distributed greater than $123.6 million to 33,817 folks impacted by what officers warn could possibly be the costliest catastrophe in fashionable historical past. FEMA grants don’t must be repaid and can be utilized to cowl rental help, non permanent housing, house repairs, property losses and different disaster-related wants not lined by insurance coverage.
Deanniah Hogan, 32, of Compton, submitted a declare in January, reporting injury to a Pacific Palisades house she was allegedly renting, authorities stated. She obtained $17,351 from FEMA. The true proprietor of the house later confirmed to regulation enforcement that the property was not being rented out. Hogan was launched on $10,000 bond after making her first court docket look on Thursday. Her arraignment is scheduled for Could 20.
Authorities say Delvonne Dashon Johnson, 31, of East Hollywood, submitted a declare for a Pacific Palisades house that’s owned by a unique individual, a lady who instructed regulation enforcement she doesn’t know Johnson and that she by no means rented out the property. The company despatched Johnson roughly $64,138 in federal aid funds based mostly on his fraudulent February declare. When the true house owner went to file a declare later, she instructed authorities that she was notified by FEMA that another person had already filed a declare for her property. Johnson was scheduled to make his first court docket look Friday.
Keandre Lowe, 21, of Lengthy Seaside, allegedly claimed to be renting a house in Altadena that was broken within the fireplace. The true owners have resided there since 2007 and stated they’ve by no means rented out the property, in keeping with authorities. Lowe obtained $28,286 from FEMA after submitting the fraudulent declare in January. Lowe was launched on $10,000 bond after showing in court docket on Thursday and his arraignment is scheduled for Could 27.
Zenalyn McIntre, 38, of Sherman Oaks is accused of submitting paperwork to bolster a fraudulent declare, together with her California driver’s license — which listed a Sherman Oaks tackle — and a pure fuel utility invoice that authorities say gave the impression to be faux. McIntre allegedly claimed in January that she was renting a Pacific Palisades house that was destroyed by the fireplace and obtained $25,229 in aid funds. McIntre was scheduled to make her first court docket look Friday.
One defendant — Katrina Woods, 33, of Maricopa, Ariz. — listed in her fraudulent declare a nonexistent tackle in Altadena that was supposedly destroyed as her main residence, authorities stated. FEMA gave Woods $23,441, which doesn’t embrace the price of two lodge stays in downtown Los Angeles and Hawthorne that she booked by way of the company. As of Wednesday, Woods was in state custody for an unrelated difficulty, and he or she is anticipated to make her preliminary look in federal court docket within the coming weeks.
Different people have already been arrested and charged with fraud for related claims involving the fires that authorities say are false.
Hedeshia Robertson, 36, of Lakewood, is scheduled to plead responsible on Could 2 to at least one depend of fraud in reference to main catastrophe or emergency advantages after fraudulently acquiring about $24,899 from FEMA. Jaime Arturo Carrillo, 48, of South Los Angeles, pleaded responsible on Wednesday to at least one depend of the identical cost after FEMA granted him transitional sheltering help amounting to over $2,000.
