A Montgomery County woman has pleaded guilty to charges related to a scheme that defrauded the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of more than $1.5 million in disaster relief funds following Hurricane Ida.
Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, entered her guilty plea before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge. The charges include one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud.
Williams was indicted on these offenses in April of last year.
According to court filings, President Joseph R. Biden declared much of eastern Pennsylvania a major disaster area after Hurricane Ida hit the region in September 2021. This action allowed FEMA to provide financial aid to residents whose homes and properties were damaged by the storm.
Court documents show that Williams used social media platforms to recruit others by offering assistance with FEMA benefit applications. She submitted false documents—including fraudulent leases, letters from landlords, utility bills, earning statements, and home repair estimates—on behalf of dozens of individuals. Williams took half the payout as compensation for her services. Government calculations indicate that over $1.5 million in assistance was paid out by FEMA based on these fraudulent claims.
Williams is scheduled for sentencing on January 12, 2026.
The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General with help from FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris are prosecuting the case.
“This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, with assistance from FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris.”
