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U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton said Duane Adams and Emily Fuqua are accused in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Gulfport of filing a false disaster assistance claim with FEMA.
Court documents showed that Adams claimed his primary residence, a houseboat in Moss Point, had been completely destroyed by Katrina on Aug. 29, 2005. Lampton said Adams was not the owner of the houseboat.
Lampton added that when a FEMA representative called to verify the claim and confirm who had ownership of the boat, Fuqua identified herself over the phone as the person who sold the houseboat to Adams.
The two were working with FEMA when they committed the fraud, authorities confirmed.
Adams received $25,562 in FEMA assistance as a result of the fraudulent application and scheme, federal authorities said.
The next step, Lampton said, will be to present the complaint to a grand jury.
A local Katrina Fraud Task Force, under the establishment by the U.S. Department of Justice and comprised of more than 20 federal and state law enforcement agencies, are charged with investigation frauds related to Katrina.
Anyone who suspects hurricane-related fraud during the post-recovery efforts is asked to call 1-866-720-5721 or 1-800-225-5324.