10/14/05
Portland
Man Charged with Fraudulent Receipt of
FEMA Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Funds
PORTLAND, OREGON - Karin J. Immergut, the United States Attorney for
the District of Oregon, announced today that an indictment was returned
on Wednesday October 12, 2005 by a federal grand jury charging Harold
Allen Miller, Jr. 41, of Portland, Oregon with Mail Fraud, 18 U.S.C.
§ 1341, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and
a $1,000,000 fine.
The charges stem
from a federal investigation by the Postal Inspection Service, the FBI,
the Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security into allegations
that Portland residents are making false statements in order to qualify
for disaster relief payments in the amount of $2,000 by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In order to qualify, a person must
have suffered damage to property as a result of the Hurricane. Applicants
are required to identify the specific property which suffered such damage.
The indictment
alleges that Miller falsely represented that he suffered such damage
to a property located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As a result, a FEMA
check for $2,000 was mailed from a government office in Texas to a post
office box controlled by Miller in Portland. Investigators are gathering
evidence relating to numerous other checks sent to Portland which may
also be based on fraud.
A criminal indictment
is only an allegation and not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed
to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Miller
could face imprisonment and a fine depending on judicial findings under
the federal Sentencing Guidelines. Miller was arrested this morning
and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Portland today at 1:30
PM for arraignment on the charges.
This prosecution
is supported by the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force established by
the United States Attorney General on September 8, 2005. Task Force
members include the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
the Federal Trade Commission, the Postal Inspection Service, the Securities
& Exchange Commission, and other federal agencies. This national
task force, working with state and local agencies, will swiftly bring
to justice those who seek to commit fraud in connection with payment
of hurricane relief funds.
Questions may be
directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Caldwell, who is handling
the prosecution, at (503) 727-1000.
