Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty in Katrina Insurance Fraud Case
A 52-year-old Raceland man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of wire fraud linked to unemployment insurance debit cards he fraudulently obtained and used during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says Charles Shields entered the plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval Jr.
Court documents show Shields fraudulently obtained and used debit cards issued in the names of other persons by withdrawing cash from ATMs in and around the Houma area where he worked. As a result, records show he obtained about $14,572 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 16. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Popular Today
- Warren, Hawley Press Insurers Over Closed, Unpaid Claims
- UIM Minimum Limits. A Coverage That May Not Pay?
- Report: Property Claims Face Delays, Are Growing More Complex
- HSBC Executive Strikes Back in Court Fight Over Poaching Claims
Popular This Month
- Credit Acceptance Reaches $710M Predatory Auto Lending Settlement With Most States
- New Corgi, Liberate, VERVE Claims Tech. Do We Need New Acronyms?
- The Great Hemp Reset: How the Federal Ban on Intoxicating Hemp Products Will Reshape Risk and Coverage
- Are We Training Claims Adjusters or Claims Processors?