Maryland Woman Sentenced in Hurricane Katrina Theft

April 15, 2009

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a former Maryland resident has been sentenced for stealing $60,200 in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief benefits.

Forty-two-year-old Schewanda Baptiste, formerly of Waldorf, was sentenced Monday to three years of probation. The first eight months are to be served on home detention. Baptiste was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and pay FEMA $49,458 in restitution.

According to her guilty plea in January, Baptiste owned a New Orleans home but was living in Maryland when Hurricane Katrina struck.

Baptiste had insurance that covered the property damage. But she falsely claimed the home was her primary residence in an application for disaster relief.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Fraud Hurricane Maryland

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Latest Comments

  • April 16, 2009 at 9:00 am
    hmmmm says:
    Math is wrong: It says that she stole $60,200 and had to pay back only $49,458 leaving a nice profit of $10,742 for which she has to pickup trash for 200 hours. That's $53.71 ... read more
  • April 16, 2009 at 7:52 am
    D Jones says:
    This woman is one of thousands I'm sure. Remember when Iowa and the other mid west states were flooded a year or two after Katrina? I saw on the news all the people filling an... read more
  • April 15, 2009 at 3:15 am
    Lou Farringer says:
    It says that she stole $60,200 and had to pay back only $49,458 leaving a nice profit of $10,742 for which she has to pickup trash for 200 hours. That's $53.71 an hour! At tha... read more

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