A couple accused of pretending to be Hurricane Katrina victims were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mail fraud and theft of public money, according to U.S. District Court documents unsealed today.
Charles and Jelissa Wimberly are each charged with 10 counts in the indictment and stand accused of stealing around $40,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Colorado Division of Housing, Catholic Charities, Corporate Lodging Consultants Inc., and the American Red Cross.
The couple applied for federal disaster assistance indicating that their primary residence was in Diberville, Miss., at the time of the hurricane, which struck in August 2005, and that their home was damaged along with their places of employment.
But a 9News investigation found Jelissa Wimberly was working in Commerce City during the hurricane.
Her husband also was working and living in Colorado during that time, according to the station.
