Three people, two Southern California residents and a Texas woman, made false claims that their properties were destroyed in January’s wildfires in Los Angeles and received tens of thousands of dollars, federal prosecutors said Wednesday while announcing federal indictments against them.
Among the three defendants, Tyrone Barnes of Paramount was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly impersonated an Altadena couple whose home was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
Authorities were made aware of Barnes’ alleged acts when the true owner of the property contacted FEMA for assistance and learned that the 38-year-old had already submitted a disaster relief fund application linked to the property, according to Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally.
“No victim of a disaster should ever have to go through this troubling experience of secondary victimization,” McNally said.
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Another Southern California resident who was charged with fraud was identified as Hedeshia Robertson. The 36-year-old from Lakewood received approximately $24,899 in FEMA benefits after filing a fraudulent application for a damaged home in the Pacific Palisades that she did not own, rent or live in, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
When Robertson was arrested Tuesday, she was allegedly trying to get additional FEMA funds for a property in San Francisco.
“(The) two cases alleged that defendants received funds for payment based on false claims of damage to personal property, lost vehicles and medical and relocation expenses,” McNally explained.
The Texas woman, 55-year-old Joyce Turner, did not live in Altadena or was nowhere near Southern California when she submitted an fraudulent application, claiming her home was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, investigators said.
After she forged a lease for the Altadena property, she allegedly received more than $25,000.
During the investigation, investigators found Turner had tried to get FEMA funds for other disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, on 10 separate occasions.
“If you're fraudulently exploit disasters in our community and profit off of our efforts to help community members who have suffered as they rebuild their lives, we will investigate you, we will find you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law so that you are held accountable,” McNally said.
For the Eaton and Palisades Fires, FEMA offered a one-time payment of $750, up to $43,600 for “other needs” assistance and housing assistance for up to 18 months. Homeowners are also potentially eligible for additional relief of up to $43,600 for home repair, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The cases were investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force.
The three defendants face up to 30 years in federal prison.
