Women Sent to Prison for Fraudulent Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Ike Claims to FEMA
Posted on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 and is filed under Political & General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Houston woman, Phyllis Ann Taylor, 28, went to prison for her Hurricane Katrina story because a local court said it was untrue. She was convicted of mail fraud and identity theft for filing a dozen fraudulent claims to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) for Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Ike assistance, and was sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
The sentence was one of the longest sentences imposed nationwide. The court based its decision on her criminal history and her lack of sensitivity toward actual hurricane victims. Taylor was also ordered to pay restitution, an amount of $58,913.
Taylor used her real identity on some of the forms, but used variations of her name–and different social security numbers–on other documents.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General investigated the incidence. Shockingly, 89 defendants have been charged in the same southern district of similar crimes. Persons can anonymously report suspected fraudulent Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Ike claims by calling toll-free at 1 (866) 720-5721 or by emailing at disaster@leo.gov.
