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Online Bible |
Matthew 7:28
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
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Posted by: Shawn on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 03:29 PM
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Crackdown on relief fraud brings more arrests
At least 25 people have been arrested and accused of attempting to "double dip" and fraudulently receive Hurricane Katrina relief funds from the American Red Cross, Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt announced Friday.
The arrests were made Thursday and Friday at St. Agnes Baptist Church, where the Red Cross has been distributing checks and debit cards meant for evacuees, Hurtt said.
As of Friday night, misdemeanor and felony charges were filed against 11 people. Providing false information is punishable by up to two years in prison, Hurtt said.
The crackdown comes just days after Mayor Bill White and Hurtt announced that such scofflaws would be found and prosecuted and after the creation of a special Houston Police Department unit, the Katrina Debit Card Fraud Task Force.
"We told you we would be very aggressive in arrests and prosecution," Hurtt said at a news conference.
One person questioned turned out to be a Beaumont resident who ultimately was released, but the case is pending. It remains unknown whether the 15 people arrested, ranging in age from 15 to 42, are indeed Katrina victims.
One of those charged was a 15-year-old who successfully obtained Red Cross money using a bogus license that indicated he was three years older, police said. The teen identified himself as the head of a household that included a 6- or 7-year-old child, said Lt. C. Williams of the HPD burglary and theft division. The teen's actions were discovered on a second attempt to get Red Cross money. Williams said some of the arrests are the result of HPD officers posing as volunteers, while uniformed officers also are on patrol where funds are distributed. Volunteers, Williams added, have been pointing out people who have repeatedly sought more money.
"We have people observing the process for any suspicious activity, and we will make arrests and seek prosecution," Williams said.
Gregory Smith, a Red Cross official, explained that the crackdown does not apply to those who make innocent mistakes, but it is directed at those who intentionally seek relief funds more than once.
The fraud, Smith said, has a "demoralizing" effect on volunteers and those who truly need the help. Meanwhile, he added, Red Cross officials worry the thefts will result in fewer donations to the agency.
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Crackdown on relief fraud brings more arrests
At least 25 people have been arrested and accused of attempting to "double dip" and fraudulently receive Hurricane Katrina relief funds from the American Red Cross, Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt announced Friday.
The arrests were made Thursday and Friday at St. Agnes Baptist Church, where the Red Cross has been distributing checks and debit cards meant for evacuees, Hurtt said.
As of Friday night, misdemeanor and felony charges were filed against 11 people. Providing false information is punishable by up to two years in prison, Hurtt said.
The crackdown comes just days after Mayor Bill White and Hurtt announced that such scofflaws would be found and prosecuted and after the creation of a special Houston Police Department unit, the Katrina Debit Card Fraud Task Force.
"We told you we would be very aggressive in arrests and prosecution," Hurtt said at a news conference.
One person questioned turned out to be a Beaumont resident who ultimately was released, but the case is pending. It remains unknown whether the 15 people arrested, ranging in age from 15 to 42, are indeed Katrina victims.
One of those charged was a 15-year-old who successfully obtained Red Cross money using a bogus license that indicated he was three years older, police said. The teen identified himself as the head of a household that included a 6- or 7-year-old child, said Lt. C. Williams of the HPD burglary and theft division. The teen's actions were discovered on a second attempt to get Red Cross money. Williams said some of the arrests are the result of HPD officers posing as volunteers, while uniformed officers also are on patrol where funds are distributed. Volunteers, Williams added, have been pointing out people who have repeatedly sought more money.
"We have people observing the process for any suspicious activity, and we will make arrests and seek prosecution," Williams said.
Gregory Smith, a Red Cross official, explained that the crackdown does not apply to those who make innocent mistakes, but it is directed at those who intentionally seek relief funds more than once.
The fraud, Smith said, has a "demoralizing" effect on volunteers and those who truly need the help. Meanwhile, he added, Red Cross officials worry the thefts will result in fewer donations to the agency.
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