Now that the Trump Administration is seriously investigating the fraud problem, a Texas woman who stole tens of thousands of dollars from FEMA and even more from public jobless programs during the pandemic got sentenced to nearly two years in prison for her theft of public funds.
Announcing as much in a press release published in mid-June, the Department of Justice said, “A Texas woman was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $28,000 in federal disaster relief money by falsely claiming that she was a Pasadena resident living in a property damaged by the Eaton Fire and for fraudulently obtaining more than $54,000 in jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Continuing, the statement noted to what charges she had pleaded guilty and what the rest of her sentence was, in addition to the nearly two years of prison time, saying, “Joyce Turner, 56, of Rosharon, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who also ordered her to pay $82,555 in restitution. Turner pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits and one count of mail fraud.”
The DOJ press release then went on to explain the context of her fraud and theft of public funds, noting that she stole from the California wildfire victims by pilfering the relief fund set up to help them out after the massive Pacific Palisades fire that did so much damage to the area.
Explaining as much, the DOJ said, “On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ignited and burned through a residential area in Los Angeles County, killing 18 people and destroying more than 10,000 structures. A presidential disaster declaration was issued on January 8, making emergency federal financial assistance and benefits available to individuals and families affected by the Eaton Fire and to other wildfire victims in the Los Angeles area.”
Continuing, it noted, “Victims who suffered losses because of the Eaton Fire, including renters who lost personal property and/or the use of their rental residences could qualify for benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The benefits included money for home repair, personal property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing assistance.”
Tying the convicted and sentenced fraudster to the fire, it then noted, “On January 10, 2025, Turner submitted a fraudulent disaster benefits application to FEMA, falsely claiming she lived in Pasadena in a rental property that had been damaged by the Eaton Fire. In fact, Turner did not live in California and did not qualify for the benefits.”
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Further, it explained the two sorts of fraud in which she had been involved, saying, “FEMA, relying on Turner’s false and fraudulent claim, sent her $28,195 in wildfire disaster relief money. Turner further admitted in her plea agreement that in August 2020 she submitted a fraudulent claim for California unemployment insurance falsely claiming she had been working in California and lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was entitled to unemployment insurance benefits.”
Adding more detail to the fraud in California, it then said, “Following this false and fraudulent claim, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) provided Turner with $54,360 in jobless benefits to which she was not entitled – providing these benefits through a debit card mailed to Turner at an address in Los Angeles.”
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, in a statement of her own on the matter, said, “Anyone who steals from American taxpayers will be held accountable. We are protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure disaster assistance goes to those who truly need it. Anyone who tries to steal from survivors will be caught and held accountable.”
Watch a report on another FBI fraud crackdown: