Posted on 09/13/2005 4:55:42 AM PDT by jpthomas
MEMPHIS (AP) A Memphis woman has been charged with forgery and attempted theft after trying to collect more than $1,500 in Hurricane Katrina relief money, police say.
Emma Hill, 31, told a worker at an American Red Cross hurricane relief center in Memphis Friday that she lived in Gulfport, Miss., and had lost everything in the hurricane, according to the charges.
However, when she returned Saturday to pick up a $1,565 check, Hill gave an address in Mississippi that was different from the first one she gave workers. Suspicious workers then called over a Memphis police officer stationed at the center.
Police say they discovered Hill had an outstanding warrant on charges of passing bad checks. And they found she had a Tennessee driver's license with a Memphis address and that she paid the utility bills at that address.
Hill also had with her a dated Western Union receipt for money she sent from a Memphis office on Aug. 28.
Police believe Hill may be the first person charged in Memphis with posing as a hurricane victim.
Evacuees staying in the city have become frequent crime targets. It appears some criminals have been out looking for Louisiana license plates and many victims have had their vehicles taken, along with thousands of dollars in cash and valuables, say police, who report at least 56 evacuees have been targeted by criminals.
Sunday police said they were questioning two men with questionable identifications, who turned up at another Red Cross hurricane relief center in the city.
"We will prosecute to the fullest ... we are not going to mess around," said Mid-South Red Cross CEO William Hildebrandt. "We will make sure every donated dollar goes where it's supposed to go."
Does anyone think this is the only example?
Of course not. There will be hundreds, if not thousands trying to do the same thing.
They are like seagulls. Throw a little bread to one of them and the next thing you know there is a whole flock fighting over it.
Well, she probably needs the money to survive. You guys might be too quick to judge her.
You left off the sarcasm tag didn't you?
Also one for the "Dumb Criminals" book.
The very same. You'll note that Hildebrandt didn't say anything about making sure every dollar went to hurricane victims, just that every dollar would go "where it's supposed to go" In some cases that's big bonuses for top Red Cross officials and redecorating Washington offices.
"You left off the sarcasm tag didn't you?"
I was doing my best emulation of the looter enabling Freeper that seemed to be in the thing a week or so ago.....
Maybe an $800 handbag caught her eye.
Tell me about it -- I saw these guys in line yesterday:
"Also one for the "Dumb Criminals" book."
Yeah, scamming money out of FEMA is apparently like taking candy from a baby.......She just needed to keep her story semi-straight and who knows how much money she could get?
They won't do anything to her......she'll be back on the street in no-time, this time in a different shelter, with her story straight.
Good.
We had two arrested in KC last week for this.
They won't do anything to her......she'll be back on the street in no-time, this time in a different shelter, with her story straight.
Perhaps Porkchop Jackson could bring this person with him to the MSM and let her explain why she did this. Hell, let him explain why she did it and then he can present her with a check from his own personal "oppression" fund.
That's the second time I've heard about the coming big Memphis earthquake this morning.
(The first time was listening to that shameless buffoon Rep. Harold Ford talking with Imus about the Bush deficiencies in dealing with New Orleans. Naturally Ford thinks that the State and Local have no responsibility and that the nanny Feds should step on the scene and take over everything. Imus was only too happy to pucker up to Ford's posterior.)
The article talks about a huge crime wave in Memphis against the visiting hurricane victims.
The Memphis locals are preying on them and victimizing them once again after they have had to flee Louisiana and took refuge in Memphis. It says cars have been stolen, and money and anything of value. I'm assuming this is people with cars that were able to get out of Louisiana and unfortunately for them headed to Memphis. The money stolen part could be those who have gotten financial help are being robbed by the local criminals.
So already Memphis has put it's bad face forward...
I'm betting it's black on black crime. For all their brotherhood they sure do jump to be the first to take advantage and steal from the poor and helpless in their communities.
"Maybe an $800 handbag caught her eye."
classic!
I still don't understand why they had to leave Louisiana. The north half of the state did not get hurt by the storm. Their fellow Louisiana citizens should of been more than happy to take the refugees in ... unless they know something we don't know...
The smart ones can get away with scamming the system if this story is correct. Only the incredibly stupid are likely to be caught.
Breakfast of champions.
....A life long Al Gore supporter?.....
Much worse than that..... a life long Ford supporter.
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