Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding American Red Cross in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 28, 2009 |
RAYMOND MOTEN, age 37, a former resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty today in front of United States District Judge Helen G. Berrigan to a one count indictment for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, 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. RAYMOND MOTEN admitted today that he fraudulently applied for disaster assistance funds from the American Red Cross on six (6) separate occasions between September 10, 2005 and October 6, 2005. In all, according to the indictment, MOTEN fraudulently obtained $5,055 from the American Red Cross.
The defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty (20) years’ imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 31, 2010.
The case is being investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Chester.