Press Releases
GRETNA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO
“KATRINA FRAUD”
July 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOHN CHIEM, age 48, a resident of Gretna, Louisiana, pled guilty today in Federal District Court to a one count bill of information for Theft of Government Money related to a fraudulent claim he submitted to FEMA shortly after Hurricane Katrina, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, JOHN CHIEM filed a claim for FEMA assistance on September 9, 2005 for a home he formerly owned in Buras, Louisiana. The home, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, had been sold by CHIEM to another family in December, 2004. CHIEM admitted today that he was not entitled to the over $10,000 in government assistance he fraudulently obtained in the fall of 2005.
Upon sentencing, JOHN CHIEM faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Dan Friel.
