Aid workers 'stole $200,000 Katrina cash'

[FreedomAngel82]

Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1962241,00.html#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=World

Snip: <The American Red Cross was facing fresh embarrassment over its response to Hurricane Katrina today as it emerged that at least 19 agency workers stole more than $200,000 from the victims' fund.

Prosecutors in California have charged 49 people in connection with the fraud in which workers in a Red Cross call centre in Bakersfield are alleged to have handed out code numbers to friends and relatives entitling them to collect relief cheques of up to $1,565 (£908).

Mary Wenger of the US Attorney’s office in Sacramento, California, said today that she expected more charges as the investigation progressed. Ms Wenger said that preliminary calculations suggest at least $200,000 (£116,000) had been stolen, adding: "We expect that figure to grow."

The centre in Bakersfield was the largest of three set up to take calls from victims of Hurricane Katrina - the others were in Niagara Falls, New York, and Falls Church, Virginia. >

More at link...

[Trevelyan]

1. There was a very good thread on the corruption of The Red Cross and

a link to an article with the mayor of Decatur throwing Red Cross out saying they were obstructing the efforts to help Katrina victims.

And corruption of top officials including Sen. Libby Dole's stealing almost $200,000 from the poor when she was appointed head of the AMERICAN Red Cross.

AboveTopSecrets.com in their excellent article on Fema Camps questioned if Red Cross = FEMA.

ATTN KATRINA RESEARCHERS -- http://katrinatimeline.org/research/index.php
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/005385.php

Tuesday :: Sep 6, 2005
On Angels' Wings, Or Beelzebub's Back?

http://katrinafemacamps.blogspot.com/
http://katrinamemo.blogspot.com/

[FreedomAngel82]

4. I've heard that about Dole before

How disgusting.

[Erika]

7. Dole said the $200,000 was legit costs for her personal expenses

Evidently she didn't do Motel 6 and Wendy's. $200,000?

She lived the good life.

[ny_liberal]

2. Jail them all

eom

[TheFarseer]

3. was it donated to the Delay campaign?

I would not be at all surprised.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Or Hasert or something like that

I wonder if we'll ever know.

[ebayfool]

6. I've seen news clips of the arrests in Bakersfield ...

I have some sincere doubts as to whether all that $200,000.00 was stolen strictly by the bottom level people they were trotting out in cuffs. They may be responsible for some of it, but I have a gut feeling that someone(s) higher up in the chain of command knew @ it & maybe used the petty larceny going on to help themselves in a bigger way.

Most all that I've seen arrested were black, poorly dressed, & didn't look like they had a big wad of cash tucked away. Looked mostly like temp workers, so I don't understand how they could have gotten access to that much money w/out some kind of management involvement.

No matter the dollar amount, it was an cold, criminal act to steal from the Katrina survivors. I just want them to be sure to nab ALL those involved ... not just the small fry!

(I'm sure embarrassed to admit it these days, but yes - I'm from Bakersfield. It's a freeper haven, & this kind of stuff is fodder for them!)

[Bozita]

8. $200,000 is what part of $9,000,000,000 (missing in Iraq)

I applaud all efforts at prosecuting thieves.

Now, who's looking after that missing $9 billion in Iraq?

After all, as Bush says, "It's your money!"

[Oversea Visitor]

9. Big deal

compare to 8 billion in Iraq

[REP]

10. The Red Cross Poorly Run and Corrupt? I'm Shocked, I Tell You, SHOCKED

Okay, I'm not shocked. They've been corrupt for years; that's why I donate elsewhere.