[StBernard] SLIDELL WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DEFRAUDING AMERICAN RED CROSS

[Westley Annis]

SLIDELL WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DEFRAUDING AMERICAN RED CROSS
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -RENADA THORNTON, age 27, a resident of Slidell,
Louisiana, pled guilty today to six counts of wire fraud and one count of
mail fraud relating to a series of fraudulent applications for financial
assistance that she submitted to the American Red Cross between September,
2005 and December, 2005, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to court documents, RENADA THORNTON, applied for and received
disaster assistance funds from the Red Cross 14 times during a roughly two
month period. The Red Cross made disaster assistance money of up to $1565
available to those affected by the hurricanes of 2005 on a one-time only
basis. THORNTON repeatedly applied for these funds throughout the early fall
of 2005, each time indicating that she had not yet received any money at all
from the Red Cross. In all, THORNTON fraudulently obtained over $18,000 from
the American Red Cross. According to documents filed today by the United
States Attorney, THORNTON successfully executed the scheme at Red Cross
facilities in throughout Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. 

Upon sentencing, which is scheduled for April 10, 2008, RENADA THORNTON
faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years and is subject to
a fine of up to $250,000. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the
United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The
case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Dan Friel.