Gulfport Woman Sentenced For Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Fraud

Gulfport, Miss. – Kimberly Marie Isabell, 33, of Gulfport, was sentenced today by U. S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to three years on probation and six months home confinement with electronic monitoring for mail fraud in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis announced. Isabell was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17.000.00.

Isabell pled guilty on October 22, 2013 to knowingly devising and carrying out a scheme to defraud the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (the “GCCF”) which was established by BP Exploration and Production, Inc., to administer, process, and settle certain claims of individuals and businesses that had been impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Isabell made false representations in her claim for damages by alleging that she lost earnings, profits and work hours from her job at Isabell Janitorial Services in Gulfport due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. As a result of her scheme, Isabell received a check from the Claims Facility totaling $12,000.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.

This case was brought as part of this District’s partnership with the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), a nationwide initiative to protect available funds and assistance for those victims of both natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the recent Gulf oil spill. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, you can contact the NCDF by either calling the hotline at (866) 720-5721, faxing (225) 334-4707, emailing at disaster@leo.gov or in writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.