FEMA fraud scheme: Atlanta woman could face years in prison [Video]

Tiffany Brown, 45, faces sentencing in April after being found guilty of multiple charges, including disaster fraud, wire fraud, theft of government money and money laundering.

Following Hurricane Maria’s devastation in Puerto Rico in 2017, FEMA sought contractors to provide critical aid, including millions of self-heating meals. Brown’s Georgia-based company, Tribute Contracting LLC, secured a $156 million contract by falsely claiming she could deliver 30 million compliant meals in 16 days. Brown misrepresented her company’s capabilities, forged partnerships, and fabricated supplier agreements with Canadian meal manufacturer Action Meals.

Despite receiving $255,000 in initial payments, Brown failed to deliver the promised self-heating meals, providing only 50,000 non-compliant dehydrated meals. FEMA terminated the contract but continued to face fraudulent claims from Brown, including fabricated invoices for non-existent heaters.

The case also involved a separate scheme to defraud the Georgia-based Litigation …