Hammond Woman Charged with Defrauding American Red Cross

NEW ORLEANS, LA—CHRISTY ALEXANDER, age 24, a resident of Hammond, LA, was charged in a one-count bill of information today with mail fraud relating to fraudulent applications she made to the American Red Cross for financial assistance during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to the bill of information, the American Red Cross made disaster assistance money of up to $1,565 available to those affected by the hurricanes of 2005 on a one-time only basis. The bill alleges that on three occasions between September 2005 and October 2005, ALEXANDER applied for and received disaster assistance funds from the Red Cross and based on these fraudulent applications, she obtained $2,830 from the American Red Cross that she was not entitled to.

If convicted, ALEXANDER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a $250,0000 fine, restitution to the American Red Cross, and three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Letten reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.