U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Southern District of Mississippi
188 East Capitol Street
Suite 500
Jackson, Mississippi 39201-0101
Telephone 601-965-4480
Facsimile 601-965-4409

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2006

LOUISIANA MAN ARRESTED FOR FEMA HOTEL ASSISTANCE FRAUD

United States Attorney Dunn Lampton and FBI Special Agent in Charge John Raucci announced the arrest of DERRICK SHANE MILLER of New Orleans on 34 counts of mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud FEMA in its Hotel Assistance program. The Indictment charges that MILLER used his FEMA registration number to obtain multiple hotel rooms at nine (9) different hotels in Jackson, Mississippi from October, 28, 2005 through March 31, 2006. The Indictment also charges that it was part of the scheme to defraud FEMA that MILLER rented the rooms to others for cash. The total amount of fraud, as set forth in the Indictment, is $27,811.40.

MILLER was indicted on June 6, 2006 as a result of a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics with assistance provided by the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office. MILLER was taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New Orleans on June 8, 2006. Each count of the Indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Lampton said, “The Katrina Fraud Task Force is an unprecedented law enforcement effort which is aggressively pursuing all complaints of fraud in the wake of Katrina.

Cooperation between law enforcement agencies will allow us to detect and apprehend those who have committed fraud. The message should be clear - if you commit fraud and are caught, you will be prosecuted.”
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 FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, the Postal Inspector’s Office and the Executive Office of United States Attorneys, among others.

Pursuant to the Justice Department initiative, a local Katrina Fraud Task Force, consisting of over 20 Federal and State law enforcement agencies, was formed in the Southern District of Mississippi to pursue and prosecute individuals who file false and fraudulent claims.

If anyone has information concerning possible fraud being committed during the post-Katrina recovery effort, please call either the DHS-OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or the FBI Fraud Hotline at 1-800-225-5324.

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