The U.S. Attorney's Office has pledged to investigate and prosecute hurricane relief scams in collaboration with federal and local law enforcement agencies.
In order to identify, investigate and prosecute these possible fraud schemes, all U.S. Attorneys and divisions of litigation and law enforcement within the Justice Department will now be granted access to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline's database, according to a Sept. 22 news release.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those who commit disaster-related fraud, including those who willfully attempts to delay or disrupt the delivery of critical supplies to those in need, including water, gasoline, diesel fuel and other materials, so that they can unjustly enrich themselves," U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow said in the release.
Muldrew also thanked Puerto Rico's first responders for their assistance to their communities during this time, the release reported.
"It is that spirit of resilience and compassion that typifies Puerto Rico,” Muldrow added, according to the release.
The FBI's San Juan Field Office Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez, said the agency is currently on high alert and urged anybody who had knowledge of disaster fraud to call 787-987-6500 or to file a report online at Tips.FBI.gov, the release reported.
“Disaster fraud and related acts of corruption hurt those who need it most in their time of greatest need," Gonzalez said in the release. "This should shock everyone’s conscience and move anyone who witnesses such acts to immediate action."
According to the release, some examples of disaster-related fraud scams include identity theft, price gouging theft, looting and other violent crimes.
