It's been five years since Superstorm Sandy inflicted billions of dollars in damage in New York and New Jersey, but many wonder if the region is any more prepared for extreme weather now than it was before Sandy.
(Photo: New York State Assembly)
ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York state lawmaker was accused of pocketing tens of thousands of dollarsmeant for Superstorm Sandy victims in an 11-count felony indictment unveiled Tuesday.
Assemblywoman Pamela Harris, a Brooklyn Democrat, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Brooklyn federal court, where she faced fraud, conspiracy, witness tampering, false statement and obstruction of justice charges.
Federal prosecutors accused Harris of four separate fraudulent schemes, including two separate plans to pocket Hurricane Sandy money by falsely claiming the 2012 storm forced her from her Brooklyn home and into a Staten Island residence, according to the indictment.
The 57-year-old lawmaker, first elected in 2015, is accused of fraudulently accepting $25,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and failing to disclose it during her recent bankruptcy proceedings.
► Feb. 23: Hurricane Sandy troubles also hit Louisiana flood victims
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► Database: New York's troubled lawmakers
She also is accused of keeping $23,000 in New York City money meant for Coney Island Generation Gap, a nonprofit she once led, and directing two people to lie to FBI investigators when they were interviewed in her case.
She spent the money on household expenses, her mortgage, at stores like Victoria's Secret and on airfare and cruise tickets, prosecutors said.
"As alleged in the indictment, the defendant defrauded government agencies out of tens of thousands of dollars in public funds and tried to fraudulently obtain even more,” Richard Donoghue, the interim U.S. attorney for New York's eastern district, said in a statement.
► April 2016: Contractor says FEMA shortchanged Superstorm Sandy victims
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“She conducted her schemes victimizing the federal and New York City governments, and then obstructed a federal investigation into her crimes while a sitting New York state assemblywoman," he said.
A woman who answered the phone at Harris' Brooklyn office Tuesday said neither the assemblywoman nor her communications staff would issue a comment.
Harris is at least the 44th state lawmaker to face ethical or legal charges since 2000, according to a database the USA TODAY Network maintains.
► November 2014: FEMA asks some Sandy aid recipients to give it back
► May 2013: Months after Sandy, more fraud investigations launched
She faces two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of making false statements, two counts of bankruptcy fraud, one count of witness tampering and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
All are felonies.
