A woman from Montgomery County has pleaded guilty to charges connected to a scheme that defrauded the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of more than $1.5 million in disaster relief funds following Hurricane Ida.
Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, entered her plea before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge. The charges include one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud.
Williams was indicted on these offenses in April last year.
According to court documents, President Joseph R. Biden issued a major disaster declaration for eastern Pennsylvania in September 2021 after Hurricane Ida impacted the region. This allowed FEMA to offer financial assistance to those whose homes and properties suffered damage.
Court filings indicate that Williams recruited individuals through social media by offering help with FEMA applications. She then submitted fraudulent documents—such as fake leases, landlord letters, utility bills, earning statements, and home repair estimates—to FEMA on behalf of dozens of people. In return for her services, she took half of each payout.
Federal authorities estimate that over $1.5 million in aid was distributed based on false claims made by Williams.
Williams is scheduled for sentencing on January 12, 2026.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General led the investigation with support from FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris are prosecuting the case.
“United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge yesterday to one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud, arising from a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) in the wake of Hurricane Ida.”
