A South Jersey woman stole money meant for hurricane victims. Now, she’s headed to jail – for a day
A South Jersey woman scammed the federal government out of more than $50,000 meant for storm victims, authorities said.
A Camden woman who twice obtained money meant for storm victims by forging application documents was told she has to spend a day in jail and pay back $52,390 she pilfered from the government, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Camden announced Tuesday.
Shanyra Bennett, 40, appeared before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden, where she previously pleaded guilty to one count of fraud related to disaster benefits.
According to court records, Bennett applied for federal assistance in November 2012 after the money was designated for victims of Hurricane Sandy. She sought money for rent and to replace personal property, including her Dodge Durango, which she said was no longer operable because of storm damage. She reported that she needed the vehicle for her job as a senior health aide.
In December 2012, federal authorities electronically transferred $5,162 into Bennett's bank account to replace her SUV. She received $22,190 over a two-year period.
Authorities later learned that Bennett was unemployed when Sandy hit New Jersey. The employment documents and invoices she submitted for her SUV's damage were fake, authorities said. Also fake were the lease and rent receipts submitted for an apartment she never rented.
After investigators learned that Bennett had scammed the government out of hurricane disaster money, they discovered that she had done the same in 2011, when the government provided assistance for Hurricane Irene victims. Bennett admitted in court that between September 2011 and November 2012, she received an additional $30,200 from the government based on fraudulent claims from that storm.
In addition to a day in jail and paying back money, Simandle ordered five years of supervised release.