Raleigh, N.C. – A Hampstead woman was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison for her role in a disaster fraud scheme following Hurricane Florence in 2018. Dishawn Batts, 43, was ordered to pay $24,835.50 in criminal restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
According to court documents, Batts filed a false claim with FEMA for assistance after Hurricane Florence, stating that she had been displaced from her primary residence and was living in a temporary rental residence. In reality, Batts was not displaced and had been living in her own home the entire time.
Batts submitted a series of claims for continued rental assistance, providing fraudulent documentation including phony lease agreements, rental receipts, utilities records, and Social Security Administration records. As a result, Batts received $24,835.50 in assistance for which she did not qualify.
‘This defendant schemed to steal from a taxpayer-funded program that was intended to help displaced families recover from a natural disaster,’ said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. ‘Now, she will be housed in a federal prison and required to repay every penny she stole.’
U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Batts to prison and ordered her to pay restitution. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan.
Batts pleaded guilty to the charges in November 2018. Her sentencing marks the latest in a series of cases related to disaster fraud in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.
Disaster fraud schemes are a serious concern, with victims often losing thousands of dollars in assistance. If you suspect someone is committing disaster fraud, report it to the authorities immediately.
Related Federal Cases
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- Tracey Hernandez, Tax Fraud, Burlington NC, 2021-2022 · North Carolina
- No Defendant Name Found, Bank Fraud Scheme, USA, 2022 · Alabama
- Efraim Steif and Uri Koenig, Medicaid Fraud, Syracuse NY, 2023 · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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