The United States Attorney's Office

Middle District of Louisiana

FOUR MORE INDICTED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM

BATON ROUGE, LA – Four more Louisiana residents were indicted in federal court on fraud charges related to a hurricane disaster relief program, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today.

FREDRICA EHIOROBO, age 20, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and with making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, EHIOROBO faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count.

TERRI LEWIS, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and with making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, LEWIS faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count.

IYANA NICHOLS, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a four-count indictment by a federal grand jury with two counts of making false and fraudulent claims for disaster assistance benefits and two counts of making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, NICHOLS faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count.

TRINA BURDEN, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making false and fraudulent claims for disaster assistance benefits (Counts One and Three) and with illegal conversion of government property, that is, a check from FEMA for expedited disaster assistance (Count Two). The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted on Counts One and Three. BURDEN faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. If convicted on Count Two, BURDEN faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Today’s indictments bring the total number of individuals who have been charged in the Middle District of Louisiana with violations related to hurricane disaster relief funds to ninety-eight.

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 the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and others.

For further information, contact David R. Dugas, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, or Lyman Thornton, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, at (225) 389-0443. Anyone suspecting criminal activity involving disaster assistance programs can make an anonymous report by calling the toll-free Hurricane Relief Fraud Hotline, 1-866-720-5721, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice. Information can also be emailed to the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force at HKFTF@leo.gov or sent by surface mail, with as many details as possible, to Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE United States Attorney Donald W. Washington Western District of Louisian United States Courthouse • 300 Fannin Street, Suite 3201 • Shreveport, Louisiana 71101-3068 • (318) 676-3600 United States Courthouse • 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2200 • Lafayette, Louisiana 70501-7206 • (337) 262-6618

The United States Attorney's Office Middle District of Louisiana FOUR MORE INDICTED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM BATON ROUGE, LA – Four more Louisiana residents were indicted in federal court on fraud charges related to a hurricane disaster relief program, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today. FREDRICA EHIOROBO, age 20, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and with making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, EHIOROBO faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. TERRI LEWIS, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making a false and fraudulent claim for disaster assistance benefits and with making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, LEWIS faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. IYANA NICHOLS, age 29, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a four-count indictment by a federal grand jury with two counts of making false and fraudulent claims for disaster assistance benefits and two counts of making false and fraudulent statements to FEMA. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted, NICHOLS faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. TRINA BURDEN, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury with making false and fraudulent claims for disaster assistance benefits (Counts One and Three) and with illegal conversion of government property, that is, a check from FEMA for expedited disaster assistance (Count Two). The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. If convicted on Counts One and Three. BURDEN faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. If convicted on Count Two, BURDEN faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. Today’s indictments bring the total number of individuals who have been charged in the Middle District of Louisiana with violations related to hurricane disaster relief funds to ninety-eight. 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 the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and others. For further information, contact David R. Dugas, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, or Lyman Thornton, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, at (225) 389-0443. Anyone suspecting criminal activity involving disaster assistance programs can make an anonymous report by calling the toll-free Hurricane Relief Fraud Hotline, 1-866-720-5721, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice. Information can also be emailed to the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force at HKFTF@leo.gov or sent by surface mail, with as many details as possible, to Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.