The United States Attorney's Office

Middle District of Louisiana

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

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

KEISHA U. FRANKLIN, age 29, and DONALD R. NELSON, age 30, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were each 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 in these cases 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, FRANKLIN and NELSON each face maximum sentences of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count.

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 one hundred.
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 TWO MORE INDICTED IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM BATON ROUGE, LA – Two more Louisiana residents were indicted in federal court today on fraud charges related to a hurricane disaster relief program, United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today. KEISHA U. FRANKLIN, age 29, and DONALD R. NELSON, age 30, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were each 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 in these cases 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, FRANKLIN and NELSON each face maximum sentences of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, per count. 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 one hundred. 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