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Fraud

Couple Charged with Disaster Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A couple, Daylyn Harris and Chelsea Johnson, are facing federal criminal charges for allegedly lying about being victims of the West Maui wildfires and the January Los Angeles fires, stealing over $110,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The couple claimed to have suffered losses in the Lahaina fire, which killed 102 people and leveled thousands of homes, but investigators found that they had no connection to the area.

Key Takeaways:

  • Daylyn Harris and Chelsea Johnson are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of disaster fraud for allegedly lying about their losses in the West Maui wildfires and the January Los Angeles fires.
  • Harris claimed to have lived in Lahaina and suffered injuries in the fires, but investigators found that he did not reside at the damaged address and did not suffer the stated losses.
  • Johnson claimed to be the landlord of Harris' rented primary residence in Lahaina, but a FEMA inspector found that she sounded hesitant and provided inaccurate information about the property.
  • Harris allegedly provided fake medical documentation, including a physician statement letter dated Sept. 28, 2023, that listed providers who claimed to have treated him for injuries related to the Lahaina fires.
  • A person claiming to be Dr. Micah Olaf Johnson, a provider listed on the medical documentation, called FEMA to verify the medical documentation and was found to have an untraceable phone number.
  • Investigators found a record of Harris' arrest in Tampa for domestic assault, and the victim, Johnson, allegedly told Tampa police that they lived together in Florida during the same time frame that Harris claimed to have lived in Lahaina.
  • Harris received over $46,000 in FEMA assistance, including $5,462 in rental assistance, $13,625 for lost personal property, and $27,374 in "other needs assistance".
  • Johnson made a false claim to FEMA for damaged dwelling assistance, alleging that her property in Pacific Palisades, Calif., was damaged, and received over $22,000 in FEMA assistance, including $770 for critical needs assistance, $9,404 for personal property, and $3,822 for displacement assistance.

Statistics:

  • $110,000: The amount stolen from FEMA by Harris and Johnson.
  • 30 years: The maximum prison sentence Harris and Johnson face if convicted.
  • $1 million: The maximum fine Harris and Johnson face if convicted.
  • $5,462: The amount of rental assistance Harris received from FEMA.
  • $13,625: The amount of lost personal property Harris received from FEMA.
  • $27,374: The amount of "other needs assistance" Harris received from FEMA.
  • $770: The amount of critical needs assistance Johnson received from FEMA.
  • $9,404: The amount of personal property Johnson received from FEMA.
  • $3,822: The amount of displacement assistance Johnson received from FEMA.
  • 70%: The percentage of FEMA funds Johnson transferred to an account in Harris' name.

Sources:

  • "Couple accused of scamming FEMA out of $110,000" by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Sept. 2023.
  • Federal indictment charging Daylyn Harris and Chelsea Johnson with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and disaster fraud, dated Sept. 6, 2023.
  • Affidavit authored by a special agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General, dated Sept. 2023.
  • Court records from Maui County, Hawaii.

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