United States Attorney Karin J. Immergut
District of Oregon

Oregon Man Sentenced To Prison in Hurricane Katrina Fraud Scheme
Defendant recruited others to submit fraudulent applications
falsely claiming they were victims of Hurricane Katrina

Portland, Ore. – Makeitho Demonz Herring, 31, of Portland, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert E. Jones to 12 months in prison, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release, following Herring’s guilty plea to mail fraud on August 29, 2007. The charge stemmed from Herring’s role as an organizer of a scheme by Portland residents to pose as victims of Hurricane Katrina for the purpose of fraudulently receiving disaster benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Additionally, Judge Jones ordered Herring to repay FEMA $12,358 for his role in the scheme.

In September 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Herring recruited others to unlawfully apply on-line for disaster benefits intended for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Herring and others made false statements in order to qualify for Hurricane Katrina Expedited Assistance disaster relief payments in the amount of $2,000 and Rental Assistance payments in the amount of $2,358 by FEMA. To legally qualify for the funds, a person must have been displaced from his or her primary residence and be in need of shelter as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Herring and others claimed that they were displaced from New Orleans to Portland as a result of Hurricane Katrina; however, Herring and the individuals he recruited lived in Portland at the time of Hurricane Katrina. In fact, most of them had never even visited Louisiana or Mississippi.

After Hurricane Katrina, a federal investigation conducted by the Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services revealed that individuals in the Portland area had submitted numerous false claims for FEMA assistance. This investigation eventually led agents to Herring and the people he recruited. Over 25 people have been prosecuted in Oregon for fraudulently receiving money intended for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gabriel. For additional information, please contact AUSA Gabriel at 503-727-1107.