NEW ORLEANS WOMAN SENTENCED TO OVER 3 YEARS FOR PASSPORT FRAUD AND DEFRAUDING THE LRA, SBA AND FEMA
RUTH LESLIE GOODMAN, a/k/a Ruth Goodman, a/k/a Meagan McKinney, age 48, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today in federal court by U. S. District Judge Helen Berrigan to over three years (37 months) imprisonment for theft of government funds, mail fraud, false statements to FEMA and possession of a falsely obtained Canadian passport, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition, GOODMAN was ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $476, 904.00, forfeiture of her personal assets and ordered to serve three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks additional imprisonment should she vioalate any terms of the release.
According to court documents, GOODMAN pled guilty in November, 2010 admitting that between August, 2005 and September, 2007, she created and executed a scheme to defraud the Louisiana Road Home, FEMA, and the Small Business Administration of $476,904.00 in United States government funds. In addition, GOODMAN obtained and possessed an official Canadian passport under the false pretense that she was born in Canada.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of Inspector General, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, the U. S. Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys W. Scott Laragy and Marvin Opotowsky.
