A Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to five years in prison for defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of over $1.7 million following Hurricane Ida. The woman, from Plymouth Meeting, received her sentence on January 28, 2026, 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.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the sentencing, emphasizing the Trump Administration's aggressive action against fraud to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure disaster assistance reaches legitimate survivors. Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said, "Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Mullin, FEMA is rooting out fraud of disaster aid. 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."
FEMA investigated over 1,700 fraud cases in Fiscal Year 2025, referring suspected fraud to the DHS Office of Inspector General and other law enforcement partners. President Trump's Executive Order 14395, established in March 2026, created the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, coordinating federal agencies to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in federal benefit programs. FEMA continues to strengthen eligibility verification and pre-payment controls to deliver assistance securely.