Chalmette Woman Pleads Guilty to Disaster Fraud

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TIFFANY RICHARDSON, age 30, of Chalmette, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to one count of disaster relief fraud before United States District Court Judge Susie Morgan.

According to the charging document, RICHARDSON applied for disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration following tornadoes that struck Oklahoma in 2013. She falsely claimed that she had a primary residence in an affected area of Oklahoma, when in fact, RICHARDSON lived in Chalmette, which is within the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Sentencing is on June 28, 2018.  RICHARDSON faces a sentence of up to thirty (30) years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three (3) years of supervised release.  

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security for their investigation of the matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.