Deborah Fortner Indicted for LRHP Fraud

New Orleans, LA – Deborah Fortner, 52, has been indicted for submitting false documents to the federally-funded Louisiana Road Home Program (LRHP), according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite.

Fortner applied for and received a $97,899 grant in 2007 to renovate her home after Hurricane Katrina. She later submitted altered bank statements and false New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board documents to maintain the grant, prosecutors say.

The scheme involved changing mailing addresses on the bank statement to suggest pre-storm occupancy, and altering the S&WB document to falsely claim occupancy at the property. Fortner faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

U.S. Attorney Polite emphasized that the indictment is merely a charge and Fortner’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Fortner could also face three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba handling the prosecution.

The case underscores the ongoing efforts to combat fraud in federal aid programs. Fortner’s trial is expected to draw significant media attention as it unfolds.