Scamsters Burning Holes in Disaster Aid Pockets!
Five individuals apprehended due to false FEMA insurance claims totaling a significant sum in the aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
In a shocking turn of events, five dirty rats have been busted by the authorities for allegedly sucking the California wildfire relief funds dry! The Justice Department dropped the hammer on these scoundrels, charging them for fabricating claims that their properties were damaged during the January wildfires in Los Angeles.
The five lowlifes, whose crooked stories don't intersect, managed to siphon off thousands of dollars in disaster relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They've been hit with charges of fraud related to major disaster or emergency benefits, and each of them faces a maximum punishment of 30 long years behind bars if found guilty.
Four of these criminals are from L.A. County, and they were handcuffed on Thursday. The fifth one, from Arizona, was already in the clink on an unrelated matter when they slapped her with charges.
FEMA has already flung more than $123.6 million to the wounded souls impacted by these disasters, which authorities warn could be the costliest in modern times. FEMA grants don't require repayment, and they are meant to cover rental assistance, temporary housing, home repairs, property losses, and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
California Wildfire Fraudsters
Federal officials have announced criminal charges against three individuals for falsely claiming that their properties were demolished in the Eaton and Palisades wildfires to snatch tens of thousands of dollars.
Deanniah Hogan (32, Compton) submitted a claim in January, reporting damage to a Pacific Palisades home she was allegedly renting. She ending up with $17,351 from FEMA. The actual owner of the house later informed law enforcement that the property was not rented out. Hogan was released on a $10,000 bond following her first court appearance on Thursday, with her arraignment scheduled for May 20.
Delvonne Dashon Johnson (31, East Hollywood) submitted a claim for a Pacific Palisades home owned by another person, who informed authorities that she doesn't know Johnson and never rented out the property. FEMA coughed up approximately $64,138 in federal relief funds based on Johnson's bogus February claim. Johnson made his first court appearance on Friday.
Keandre Lowe (21, Long Beach) claimed to be renting a home in Altadena that was damaged in the fire. The actual homeowners, who've been living there since 2007, stated they never rented out the property. Lowe swiped $28,286 from FEMA after submitting the phony claim in January. Lowe was released on a $10,000 bond after appearing in court on Thursday, with his arraignment scheduled for May 27.
Insurance Payments in the Spotlight
More than 30,000 insurance claims have been filed following the destructive Southern California wildfires, according to a new tracker.
Zenalyn McIntre (38, Sherman Oaks) is accused of submitting fabricated documents to bolster her fraudulent claim, including her California driver's license and a phony natural gas utility bill. McIntre declared in January that she was renting a Pacific Palisades home that was destroyed by the fire and received $25,229 in relief funds. McIntre is set to make her first court appearance on Friday.
One defendant - Katrina Woods (33, Maricopa, Arizona) - listed a phantom Altadena address in her fraudulent claim that was supposedly destroyed as her primary residence. FEMA doled out $23,441 to Woods, which doesn't include the expense of two hotel stays in downtown Los Angeles and Hawthorne that she booked through the agency. As of this writing, Woods was in state custody for an unrelated issue, and she is expected to make her initial appearance in federal court in the coming weeks.
Other individuals have already been arrested and charged with fraud for similar claims involving the fires that authorities say are false. Hedeshia Robertson and Jaime Arturo Carrillo pleaded guilty to their charges.
Further Reading
5 Europeans, in the country illegally, stole funds meant for low-income L.A. families, U.S. says
Ten victims of the Jan. 7 fires sue the California Fair Plan over smoke damages
U.S. border agent is charged in COVID-19 business loan fraud scheme, authorities say
- Deanniah Hogan, a resident of Compton, was accused of falsely claiming damage to a Pacific Palisades home in January, pocketing $17,351 from FEMA.
- Delvonne Dashon Johnson, from East Hollywood, submitted a claim for a Pacific Palisades home owned by someone else, receiving approximately $64,138 in federal relief funds.
- Keandre Lowe, a resident of Long Beach, claimed to be renting a home in Altadena damaged in the fire, receiving $28,286 from FEMA despite the homeowners stating they never rented the property.
- Zenalyn McIntre, a resident of Sherman Oaks, is accused of submitting fabricated documents for a Pacific Palisades home that was supposedly destroyed, receiving $25,229 in relief funds.
- Katrina Woods, a resident of Maricopa, Arizona, listed a phantom Altadena address in her fraudulent claim, receiving $23,441 from FEMA, not including the expense of two hotel stays in Los Angeles and Hawthorne.
- Hedeshia Robertson and Jaime Arturo Carrillo, two individuals charged with fraud for fire-related claims, have pleaded guilty to their charges.
- More than 30,000 insurance claims have been filed following the destructive Southern California wildfires, according to a new tracker.
- The California wildfire relief fraud scandal is not exclusive to the wildfires, as police have arrested and charged numerous individuals for similar crimes involving other disasters, including COVID-19 business loan fraud and crime-and-justice cases in the general-news sphere.
