3 accused of making false claims on Southern California’s fire to get funds for natural disasters – East Bay Times

Laikwood, the most important and Texas resident, is accused of allegedly submitting false demands with two illegal techniques Wild light funds Developed for those who lost their homes and other property in the destructive fires of Palisad and Iton in January, federal authorities reported on Wednesday, March 12.

Three suspects, from 36 to 55 years old, were arrested on Tuesday and threaten up to 30 years in a federal prison if they were sentenced to being charged as accused, in part on charges that they had deceived the Federal Agency for Emergency Situations.

“These erroneous claims have led to the fact that the money for natural disasters abandoned the actual victims of the fire, while these defendants allegedly used property information to unlaw their own pockets illegally,” said US lawyer Joseph McNale.

Following the fires that both began on January 7 in the Pacific Palisad and Altadena areas, FEMA proposed various forms of relief, from one -time payments to $ 750 to $ 43,600, as well as housing up to 18 months, the authorities said.

Paramount, the resident was accused of filing a claim for a disaster on Altaden’s property, which belongs to others who did not know it, the authorities stated. Six days later, the real owners called the claim and found out that someone had already applied for their property. He probably never received payment.

“No victim of catastrophe should never experience this alarming experience of secondary victimization,” McNalli said.

The resident of Leukwood filed a claim for the Pacific Palisades, which she did not own, rented and did not live, and received almost $ 25,000 benefits, federal authorities said.

The woman in Texas claimed that she had a house in Pasaden, which was lost during the fire of Iton, but the authorities found that she had never lived in California and had a connection with the property she claimed, was destroyed, the authorities said. She allegedly forged the rent, making she lived there and received more than $ 25,000.

Authorities on Wednesday stated that it has filed at least 10 other applications for the help of FEMA, related to seven other disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.

In the combination of Palisada and Fires, Iton burned almost 60,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 structures and killed 29 people. Both fires needed for more than a month to be fully contained.