Fraudsters charged after stealing over $40,000 in FEMA wildfire assistance
- Three individuals, including two from Los Angeles and one from Louisiana, are charged with fraud for allegedly obtaining over $40,000 in FEMA disaster assistance.
- The charges stem from claims made by these individuals of residing in areas impacted by wildfires to receive funds they were not entitled to.
- The case highlights ongoing concerns about fraud within federally funded disaster relief programs and raises questions about financial management in California.
In September 2025, three individuals were charged with fraud related to disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Los Angeles. These individuals are accused of falsely representing themselves as residents of areas affected by wildfires, such as Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, in order to obtain significant federal disaster assistance funds intended for actual wildfire victims. Jerry Lee Clay Jr., Matthew Garnet O'Brien, and Maricka Marie Gilmore are each facing multiple felony counts for their respective applications, which the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office claims were fraudulent and unjustified. Clay reportedly received $14,919.30, while O'Brien received $12,314.52, and Gilmore received $14,153.67. Law enforcement actions taken against them began with arraignments held on various dates throughout September and October 2025, indicating a concerted effort to combat fraud in disaster relief programs. Furthermore, questions about the overall management of wildfire funds in California have arisen, prompting Senator Rick Scott to seek accountability regarding the allocation of federal funds for wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, expressing concerns over financial mismanagement by state officials. The investigation highlights not only the fraudulent applications by individuals but also broader systemic issues within the funding and response frameworks for dealing with wildfires in the region. This situation reveals both the challenges faced by legitimate victims of disasters and the abuses of trust that can occur within disaster assistance programs.