Plymouth Mtg. Woman Stole $1.5 Million In Hurricane Ida Payments: Feds

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA — A Montgomery County woman has pleaded guilty to numerous charges after federal authorities said she defrauded FEMA with some $1.5 million in fake payouts after Hurricane Ida.

Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

Following the storm in late 2021, Williams used social media to recruit individuals who needed FEMA benefits and required help to apply for them, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

She then submitted fraudulent documents to FEMA on behalf of "dozens" of Philadelphia area residents, including fake leases, letters for landlords, utility bills, home repair estimates, and earning statements, officials said.

FEMA's payouts for these various false filings totaled $1.5 million, authorities said.

Hurricane Ida, which hit in Sept. 2021, sparked a major disaster declaration from President Biden for most of eastern Pennsylvania. High winds destroyed homes and community centers, and historic floods ripping through local watersheds and floodplains.

The declaration, officials said, was meant to help FEMA get immediate financial assistance to residents who lost everything after the disaster.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations unit worked together on the case.

Williams will be sentenced on Jan. 12, 2026.