Three defendants are facing federal bilking charges and trying to cheat on Fema with fraudulent claims for benefits for wild fire disasters

March 17, 2025 – Los Angeles, as – three defendants have been charged in recent days by seeking fraudulently Federal disaster rescue funds, claiming that their properties were damaged by wild fires Eaton and Palisades when, in fact, they had no interest in the affected property or the property was not affected by any fire, the justice department announced on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

Three defendants – two in the south of California and one in Texas – were arrested this week after they were accused of fraudulent the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“These defendants would have made false and fraudulent claims for the Emergency Fema -related Fema benefits that devastated Los Angeles county two months ago.” said the US interim lawyer Joseph Mcnally. “These false statements led to the refusal of the necessary money, being refused to real fire victims, while these defendants would have used information about the property to illegally align their own pockets.”

“The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Along With Our Law Enforce Partners, Including HSI, SBA OIG, FEMA FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS and Inspets Division, IRS Criminal Investigation and the US Office, Will Continue to Investigate Any Attempts to Defraud Fema of Government Assistance Programs, and to Ensure Fema Funds has accessible to Those Who Truy Need Them, ” said Matthew Brackett, a special agent responsible for DHS Oig, Los Angeles Field Office.

“Offenders will take advantage of any opportunity to fraud the government, even to the detriment of those who have lost everything.” declared internal security investigations (HSI) special agent according to Los Angeles in John Pascucco task. “We strongly ask the public to report any suspicious activity related to disaster rescue requests to the working group of Financial Financial offenses at HSI Los Angeles and our law enforcement partners.”

“These suspects are accused of trying to deceive the US government from carved disaster rescue funds to help those who lost loved ones, pets and houses … as well as those whose properties have been damaged instead of destroyed,” The special agent of Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “The Criminal Investigation of the IRS is proudly with our law enforcement partners to prevent and discourage this kind of fraud to ensure that there are help for those who need, because Los Angeles rebuilds our communities.”

It was assumed that the false statements were made following the fires of Eaton and Palisades who started on January 7. Together, the wild fires burned nearly 60,000 acres, destroyed over 16,000 structures and led to the deaths of 29 people. As a result, the president approved a major declaration of disasters, which caused it to develop a program that offers financial assistance to the victims.

Fema offered various forms of aid, a unique payment of $ 750, up to $ 43,600 for “other needs” assistance and housing assistance for up to 18 months. House owners are also potentially eligible for additional relief of up to $ 43,600 for home repairs.

The fraud claimed in the three cases include the payment of “other assistance of needs” based on false damage requests to personal property, lost vehicles and medical expenses.

The cases announced today were investigated by the Office of the Internal Security Department of the Inspector General and the Elo Real Crimes’s work group from HSI.

Joyce Turner, 55, from Rosharon, Texas, was arrested on Tuesday after being accused on Friday a criminal complaint with fraud about disaster or emergency benefits.

Turner filed a request that claimed that her house was destroyed in the Eaton fire, but it seems that she never lived in California and, in fact, had no connection with the address she claimed was destroyed in the fire. Instead, it is assumed that he falsified a rental contract, making it seem to have lived there, and she received over $ 25,000 from Fema due to fraudulent presentations.

“Turner has submitted at least ten other requests to Fema for disaster exemption (so eleven total) related to other seven disasters, for example, Hurricane Katrina (2005), Hurricane Ike (2008), Hurricane Isaac (2012) (2017) and Hurricane Beryl (2024), and a criminal history showing a forensic history showing Beliefs for frauds, and otherwise, a crime that shows previous arrests and beliefs for frauds, and otherwise, a crime that shows previous arrests and beliefs for frauds, and otherwise, a crime showing previous arrests and beliefs for fraud, ” states the statement.

Turner is scheduled to make its initial appearance today at the United States District Court in Texas and is expected to appear in the California Central District.

This case is criminally prosecuted by the US assistant prosecutor, Kerry L. Quinn, from the major fraud section.

Tyrone D. Barnes Jr., 38 years old, from Paramount, was arrested on Tuesday, after being appointed in an indictment who accused him of making false statements that were returned by a great federal jury on February 21. The indictment claims that Barnes has filed a disaster exemption request for another property owned by other people who did not know Barnes. The true owners of the property contacted the FEMA for potential assistance, which is when they learned that another person has already filed a request in relation to their property.

Barnes is expected to make its initial appearance this after – -mies in the United States District Court in the center of Los Angeles.

This case is criminally prosecuted by the deputy lawyer of the United States, David Y. Pi, from the major fraud section.

• United States v. Robertson

The 36 -year -old Heshia Robertson from Lakewood was arrested on Tuesday after being accused in a criminal complaint filed on Monday. It is assumed that Robertson filed a fraudulent request for Fema performances on January 28, seeking benefits related to a damaged residence in Pacific Palisades, which he did not hold, did not rent and did not live or worked. As a result of his fraudulent request, Robertson obtained about $ 24,899 for the benefits of the FEMA to which he was not entitled. At the time of his arrest, Robertson would also have tried to achieve additional benefits the FEMA for an alleged lease in San Francisco. She is about to make an initial appearance in court this after -mosquate.

This case is prosecuted by the US assistant lawyers, Scott Paetty and Roger Hsieh, in the major fraud section.

Complaints and indictments contain charges of criminal conduct. All the defendants are supposed to be innocent until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court.

The accusation of fraud in relation to the major benefits of disaster or emergency has a maximum legal punishment of 30 years in the federal prison. The accusation of a false, fictitious or fraudulent request against the United States bears a maximum legal punishment of five years in the federal prison.

In order to report fraud related to the public disaster relief assistance, please contact the telephone line of the Internal Security Department of Inspector General (DHS-Oig) to (800) 323-8603. The peak line of internal security can be contacted at (866) 347-2423.

Source: Doj version