Five people were arrested for allegedly submitting false claims that their properties were damaged in the January Los Angeles wildfires, the Justice Department announced Friday.
The defendants, whose cases are not related to each other, were able to fraudulently collect thousands of dollars in federal disaster-relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to the Justice Department. They have been charged with fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits and they each face a maximum of 30 years in federal prison.
Four of the five defendants are from L.A. County, and those individuals were arrested on Thursday. One defendant is from Arizona and was already in state custody on an unrelated matter when she was charged.
So far, FEMA has distributed more than $123.6 million to 33,817 people impacted by what officials warn could be the costliest disaster in modern history. FEMA grants do not need to be repaid and can be used to cover rental assistance, temporary housing, home repairs, property losses and other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
March 12, 2025
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