15 from Toledo charged in theft of funds for hurricane victims

TOLEDO (AP) — Fifteen people in Ohio have been charged with bilking the government out of thousands of dollars intended to help victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

Those charged had called the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s toll-free hot line set up for victims and gave false names and addresses so they could get the money, said assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Uram.

The indictments say that the 15 people, all from Toledo, stole just over a total of $100,000 from FEMA.

Three are charged with getting at least $15,000.

Each of the 15 is charged with one count of theft of government property and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Hundreds of people across the nation have been charged with stealing federal aid money since Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Disaster aid was sent to inmates who applied from prison and to people who claimed property damage and provided addresses of vacant lots or cemeteries, according to Government Accountability Office reports.

In some cases, there were organized rings attempting to steal the disaster money.

Investigators say it does not appear that the 15 accused in Toledo were working together, but at least a few of those charged are relatives, including twin brothers.

All of the alleged false claims were made in the six months that followed Hurricane Katrina, according to court papers filed in U.S. District Court.