United States Attorney Leura G. Canary Middle District of Alabama

GREENVILLE, ALABAMA FEMA AND RED CROSS
FRAUDSTER PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY CHARGE

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—A Greenville, Alabama, man, Kevin Oneil Brown, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to steal over $26,000 in funds designated for victims of Hurricane Katrina and $1,565 in Red Cross funds also intended for Katrina victims, U.S. Attorney Leura G. Canary announced today. As part of his plea agreement, Brown has agreed to repay FEMA and the Red Cross $27,565 in restitution. Brown’s sentencing will be scheduled for a later date before United States District Court Judge Myron Thompson.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama is a member of the Department of Justice’s ( DOJ) Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, created by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales in September 2005 to deter, detect, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes. The Task Force, chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of DOJ’s Criminal Division, is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and United States Attorneys’ Offices from the Gulf Coast region and nationwide.

This matter was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher A. Snyder. Thus far, the Middle District of Alabama has charged a total of 19 Hurricane Katrina and Rita fraud-related cases involving 20 different defendants.

If anyone has information concerning possible fraud being committed during the post-Katrina recovery effort, please call either the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721.