United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

Five Charged in Federal Indictment
for Their Role in FEMA Fraud Scheme

Ringleader Allegedly Received Approximately $65,000 in Hurricane Disaster Benefits

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that a federal grand jury in Dallas returned an 11-count indictment charging three Dallas-area residents and two Meyersville, Mississippi, residents, with various offenses related to their role in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fraud scheme.

“This type of greed and fraud will be aggressively prosecuted. Those who try to fraudulently obtain hurricane relief benefits, designed to help rebuild the lives of the thousands of hurricane victims, will face the heavy hammer of justice in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Roper.

The indictment charges Dallas residents Lakietha Hall, age 35, and her mother, Emma Hall, age 61, and Glen Jones, age 41, each with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of federal public money. Lakietha Hall is also charged with five counts of theft of federal public money, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and a forfeiture allegation. Emma Hall and Glen Jones are also charged with two counts of theft of federal public money. If convicted on all counts, Lakietha Hall faces a maximum statutory sentence of 85 years imprisonment and a $2 million fine and Emma Hall and Glen Jones each face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years imprisonment and a $750,000 fine.

Meyersville, Mississippi, residents, Carolyn Evans Green, age 40, and Carl Green, age 40, are also each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of federal public money. If convicted, each faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Lakietha Hall was arrested on December 21 by federal authorities on charges outlined in a federal criminal complaint. A search warrant was executed at her residence and more than $10,000 cash was seized. Hall made an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge who released her on a personal recognizance bond. Emma Hall and Glen Jones were arrested this morning and appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Irma Ramirez who released each on bond.

The indictment alleges that from September 2005 through December 21, 2005, the defendants conspired with each other, and others, to commit theft of public money by stealing disaster assistance from FEMA and disaster unemployment assistance funds from the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL).

According to the indictment, the defendants made numerous fraudulent claims for hurricane disaster relief by filing the fraudulent claims over the telephone and online with FEMA and the LDOL. They provided FEMA and LDOL with current mailing addresses they controlled, caused the disaster assistance funds and disaster unemployment assistance funds to be disbursed to them via debit cards, checks and/or electronic transfers, and used the funds for their own personal use

Hall has received approximately $65,000 in fraudulently obtained Hurricane Katrina disaster benefits and there is no evidence to indicate that Lakietha Hall has ever lived in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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 the United States Attorneys, among others.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts in this case of the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tammy Reno.

###