Ringleader in FEMA Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty in Federal Court; Nine Co-Defendants Also Admit Roles in Scheme

12 July 2006

A Dallas woman who ran a scheme that defrauded the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of more than $80,000 pled guilty today in federal court, U. S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas announced today. Lakietha Diann Hall, 35, of Dallas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of federal public funds and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lakeitha Hall faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison, a $750,000 fine and restitution. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2006.

According to court documents, Lakeitha Hall admitted that she conspired to commit theft of federal public money with co- defendants Lynn Evans, Carl Lynn Green, Glen Alfred Jones, Emma Theresa Hall, Milton Evans, Reginald Derrell Hall, Gracie Mae Green, Timmy Green and Linda C. Green. From August to December 2005, the co-defendants submitted fraudulent claims for disaster assistance and disaster unemployment assistance in which they falsely represented their primary residences to be located in declared disaster areas, and damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and/or that they became unemployed because of Hurricane Katrina. Lakietha Hall submitted several fraudulent online applications to FEMA for disaster assistance on behalf of and with the knowledge of several of her co-defendants. All of Lakietha Hall's co- defendants have either pled guilty or are scheduled to plead guilty to their roles in the scheme.

In one instance, on Sept. 14, 2005, Lakietha Hall submitted a fraudulent online application to FEMA for disaster assistance under Emma Ruth Hall's name and Social Security number, falsely representing that Emma Ruth Hall's primary residence was in Slidell, La., and that it had been damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Emma Ruth Hall did not authorize Lakietha Hall to use her identification information, and Lakeitha Hall provided FEMA with her own mailing address in Dallas to receive the disaster assistance money. Based on the application, FEMA sent Lakietha Hall a check for $2,000 which she gave to her mother, defendant Emma Theresa Hall, who cashed the check and used the funds for personal use.

In another instance, in November 2005, Lakietha Hall submitted a fraudulent online application to the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) for Hurricane Katrina disaster unemployment assistance in the name of "E Hall," using Emma Ruth Hall's Social Security number. In the application, Lakietha Hall falsely represented that "E Hall" became unemployed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Lakietha Hall, knowing that she did not have authority to use Emma Ruth Hall's identification, provided LDOL with her own mailing address in Dallas to receive the disaster assistance funds. LDOL issued a Chase debit card in the name of "E Hall," and Lakietha Hall gave this debit card to her mother, defendant Emma Theresa Hall, who used the debit card to withdraw money for her personal use.

In September 2005, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force - chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division - includes members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspector's Office and the Executive Office of the U.S. Attorneys, among others.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts in this case of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; and the Louisiana Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tammy Reno.

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Source: usnewswire

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