Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to Prison in FEMA Crackdown on Disaster Assistance Fraud

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to Prison in FEMA Crackdown on Disaster Assistance Fraud Anyone who defrauds American taxpayers will face the consequences WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after a Pennsylvania woman was sentenced to five years in prison for a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the wake of Hurricane Ida. On January 28, 2026, the woman from Plymouth Meeting was sentenced after pleading guilty in September to 32 charges – including 24 counts of wire fraud, 7 counts of mail fraud, and one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration – amounting to more than $1.7 million. The Trump Administration is taking aggressive action to root out fraud and protect taxpayer dollars, ensuring disaster assistance reaches only those who truly need it. As part of this commitment, FEMA and DHS are working with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal and local partners to investigate fraud and hold offenders accountable. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Mullin, FEMA is rooting out fraud of disaster aid,” said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “We are protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure disaster assistance goes to those who truly need it. Anyone who tries to steal from survivors will be caught and held accountable.” Taking funds meant for disaster survivors is a serious crime. In Fiscal Year 2025, FEMA investigated over 1,700 fraud cases. FEMA refers suspected fraud in its Individual Assistance program to the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and other law enforcement partners for investigation and potential prosecution, including cases involving organized criminal activity. President Trump’s Executive Order 14395 established the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, bringing together federal agencies to coordinate a national strategy to stop fraud, waste, and abuse in federal benefit programs. FEMA is fully engaged in strengthening eligibility verification, enhancing pre-payment controls, and ensuring disaster assistance is delivered quickly and securely to eligible survivors. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, with assistance from FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris. If you suspect fraud, report it to the DHS Office of Inspector General at https://www.oig.dhs.gov/hotline or FEMA’s Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division at StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov.

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