Gustav fraud

My MIL was sent a check from FEMA for damages from Gustav to the home we(not she) are living in. The roof was partially torn off, etc. The amount was for just over $16,000. She gave my husband $8,000 which we have used to fix the damage(and have kept every receipt) but refuses to hand over the other half of the money so we can finish repairs. We have reported her to FEMA several times within the past year. So far, they have done nothing. Isn't that amount of money equal to felony theft? Is there anyone else to whom we can report her? We have a half-finished house! And for the record- it is HER house(she lives elsewhere) so we are improving HER estate, all we are getting is a nicer home in which to live.

ihatenapoleon

I'm not sure how fraud enters into the picture when it is proceeds payable to her for damages to her property.

Although there may well be some stipulation in the FEMA claim that disbursements must be used for repairs, in the normal course of standard insurance claims, there is no requirement as to how the proceeds are used once the claim is settled.

lex

[My life has been crazier than a work of fiction.....who'da believed?]

having gone through this with Katrina.........they issue the check to someone, and it is that person's check. Though they legally have the right to go back and audit, they rarely if ever do.

Common sense suggests that if you are living in her house, you may not want to bug her too much or she may want her house back.

3kidsmom

The fraud would come from her not actually residing in the residence and making the claim against it. This would be due to all those who falsely filed after Katrina and several loopholes were closed. We actually tried to file initially(at her request) but when the claim guy came out he would not do it because we could not show ownership and was not allowed to take her word for it over the phone(duh). When my MIL finally got around to making the claim herself, the woman who came out to report the damage was VERY clear that every penny had to be spent on the residence it was filed on and all receipts had to be kept.
As for using our common sense and keeping our mouths shut about it, she is welcome to a half-improved house if she wants it. I do understand your point though.

ihatenapoleon