[StBernard] THREE PLEAD GUILTY IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM

[Westley Annis]

THREE PLEAD GUILTY IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ON FRAUD CHARGES RELATED TO A
HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM 
BATON ROUGE, LA - Three more Louisiana residents pled guilty in federal
court on fraud charges related to a hurricane disaster relief program,
United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today. 

LATASHA WHITFIELD, age 30, LAKEITHA WRIGHT, age 22, DOMONEIK WHITFIELD, age
21, and TONI WHITFIELD, age 42, all residents of Zachary, Louisiana, were
indicted on March 7, 2007, on related federal charges of conspiracy, wire
fraud, mail fraud, access device fraud, illegal use of Social Security
numbers, and aggravated identity theft related to a hurricane disaster
relief program. LATASHA WHITFIELD pled guilty on August 28, 2007, to
aggravated identity theft and mail fraud charges. LAKEITHA WHITFIELD and
DOMONEIK WHITFIELD each pled guilty today to wire fraud and illegal use of
Social Security numbers. TONI WHITFIELD pled guilty today to a charge of
access device fraud. 

The investigation leading to today's guilty pleas uncovered a scheme
involving at least 50 false and fraudulent disaster unemployment claims that
were filed with the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) seeking disaster
unemployment payments of over $120,000 after Hurricane Katrina. Latasha
Whitfield's home computer was used to file many of the claims. The
defendants falsely represented that Social Security numbers listed on the
fraudulent DUA claims were those which had been assigned by the Commissioner
of Social Security to the claimants. DUA provides financial assistance to
individuals whose employment has been lost or interrupted as a result of a
major disaster declared by the President of the United States. The LDOL
administers the DUA program for the State of Louisiana, the funding for
which comes from federal funds provided by the Federal Emergency Management
Administration (FEMA).

In the plea agreement entered by Latasha Whitfield on August 28th, she
agreed that she owed restitution of not less than $150,223. Latasha
Whitfield also pled guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge, involving
the use of the Social Security number of another person during her
commission of the fraud. That count carries a mandatory two year term of
imprisonment to run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment which
the court might impose for the mail fraud count to which she pled guilty. 

LAKEITHA WRIGHT's restitution provision calls for restitution of not less
than $61,347, while that of DOMONEIK Whitfield calls for a figure of not
less than $32,732. TONI WHITFIELD's restitution amount calls for a figure
not less than $7,742. 

The maximum sentence for each mail or wire fraud count is a twenty year term
of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, or both. The maximum sentence for each
count of illegal use of a social security number count is a five year term
of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. The maximum sentence for the
access device fraud count is a ten year term of imprisonment, a $250,000
fine, or both. 

The case resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of
Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Social Security Administration,
Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Federal
Bureau of Investigation; the Louisiana State Police; and the Zachary,
Louisiana, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S.
Attorney Ian F. Hipwell. 

The number of individuals who have been charged in the Middle District of
Louisiana with violations related to hurricane disaster relief funds stands
at one hundred twenty-eight. 

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 <mailto:HKFTF at leo.gov>
HKFTF at leo.gov or sent by surface mail, with as many details as possible, to
Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909.