Detroit Area CBP Director Charged in FEMA Fraud Scheme

A national transgression ailment was unsealed contiguous charging the Director of United States Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Center for Excellence and Expertise implicit Automotive and Aerospace Engineering with engaging successful a strategy to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and lying to national agents, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.

Beck was joined successful the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent successful Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Daniel Altman, Executive Director of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Serina Baker-Hill, 55, of Detroit, is simply a vocation worker of CBP. Following a bid of floods successful the Detroit country successful August of 2023, Michigan’s petition for a national catastrophe declaration was approved, which allowed residents to use for FEMA assistance. Baker-Hill applied for FEMA assistance for flood harm and a FEMA inspector determined determination was harm to the basement successful Baker-Hill’s home.

During the inspection, Baker-Hill informed the inspector she was not capable to unrecorded safely successful the location portion the repairs were being made. Consequently, FEMA approved benefits for Baker Hill to assistance with location repairs and for 2 months of rental assistance. The support missive from FEMA indicated that the rental assistance wealth was to beryllium utilized solely to assistance Baker-Hill wage rent and indispensable inferior costs portion she was successful impermanent housing.

According to Baker-Hill’s slope records, nary of the FEMA wealth was utilized for rental, hotel, oregon inferior expenses. Video surveillance astatine the location showed that Baker-Hill and her hubby continued to unrecorded successful the location aft receiving the rental assistance funds from FEMA. Additionally, records for the location bash not amusement a important driblet successful utilities accordant with the spot being unoccupied during this time.

Baker-Hill was aboriginal interviewed by FBI and CBP-OPR agents and informed them that she has ne'er committed amerciable enactment of immoderate benignant and had ne'er defrauded the U.S. government.

A ailment is lone a complaint and is not grounds of guilt. Trial cannot beryllium held connected felony charges successful a complaint. When the probe is completed, a determination volition beryllium made whether to question a felony indictment.

The probe of this lawsuit was conducted by the FBI’s Detroit Border Corruption Task Force and CBP-OPR. Investigative assistance was besides provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General. The lawsuit is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan

Topics Fraud