PANAMA CITY, Fla. — As the scale and frequency of major disasters escalate, millions of dollars in federal, state and insurance payments intended for recovery efforts are being stolen by fraudsters taking advantage of chaos and the pipeline of aid …
Almedina Suljic of Johnston, Iowa, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. The charges against Suljic stem from an investigation that began …
One year after a devastating series of wildfires ripped through Northern California wine country, destroying thousands of homes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ first experience cleaning up after a wildfire has turned into an expensive bureaucratic mess and California’s …
The news that Florida’s Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team (DFAST) has been activated in response to Hurricane Michael is a reminder that after a devastating hurricane or wildfire, homeowners may be victimized a second time – by unscrupulous contractors. Recent …
Hurricane Florence is the first major hurricane of the 2018 season, and with Gordon now a tropical depression dumping several inches of rain on the Southeast, it’s safe to say hurricane season is in full gear. Forecasters are predicting three …
A Pennsylvania man working at a Superstorm Sandy housing recovery center in New Jersey solicited thousands of dollars in bribes and fictitious fees from storm victims by telling them he could expedite and/or increase the amount of money they received, …
Mississippi Woman Arrested in Worker’s Comp Fraud Case A Mississippi woman has been arrested in a worker’s compensation fraud case. Attorney General Jim Hood said Wednesday, in a news release, that 35-year-old Francine Owens is accused of giving misleading statements …
After Superstorm Sandy flooded the first floor of his New Jersey home with 4 feet of water, Rich Bindell shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to a contractor he knew was approved by the state and had done other …
A Staten Island, N.Y., couple was charged with making false statements to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in connection with their obtaining more than $750,000 in disaster relief …
Washington Firm Owes $12K for Trying to Skip Out on Paying Workers’ Comp Premiums The co-owner of a Mill Creek housecleaning business has been ordered to pay the state more than $11,700 for trying to evade workers’ comp insurance bills. …