'US storm fraudsters paid $1.4bn'

[B33R]

The US government gave up to $1.4bn in bogus assistance to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year, congressional inspectors have found.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was tricked into funding hundreds of fraudulent schemes, the report said.

Money was spent on American football tickets, a holiday, a divorce lawyer and a sex change operation, it said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5081364.stm

I like this quote

"We are confident in the system we have in place at this point," Mr Walker said.

It only took them 1.4 BILLION dollars ($1,400,000,000) of fraudulent giveaways before they implemented it! It's no big deal!

Here I am broke in England when they're giving away billions in America! I kinda wish I was an American right about now... and that I was a scammer too.

 

[CrazyTech]

Welcome to the wonderful world of beaurcracy and an oversized government at work! At the rate they're going, I'm sure an English citizen could probably reap the benefits as well. The whole system is a joke and I don't think that will ever change. You can always expect some measure of fraudsters but about 16% of the total money that went to the victims ended up in the hands of these frauds. That's nearly 1/5 which leads the mind to boggle.

The thing is, most of the responses today didn't even mentioned much in the way of actually punishing the crimes - this article actually does unlike many of the news reports. Sure, they'll nab a few but then things get quiet after a while and after the same "it won't happen next time" promises. Meanwhile, 1.4 billion doesn't get to those who need it most.

 

[GeneCosta]

I don't think most Americans actually realize how unprepared our government was. We are so busy tracking down terrorists and worrying about bombs going off that we ignore mother nature. This is why I'm scared that an epidemic might hit us. We keep insisting that America is indestructable. :yell:

 

[Humdizzy]

I guess we have people hoping for disasters so the government gives out more of those free $1500 debit cards.

 

[CrazyTech]

I don't think most Americans actually realize how unprepared our government was. We are so busy tracking down terrorists and worrying about bombs going off that we ignore mother nature. This is why I'm scared that an epidemic might hit us. We keep insisting that America is indestructable.

Actually you're not quite right on that one. Guess who responds to a dirty bomb or terrorist attack when it happens besides investigative and so on groups? FEMA. The system has never really been that good and to be honest we're not prepared for any sort of disaster or attack. This is not because we're focusing on the efforts of terrorism, it's because of government waste and an ineffective management of the whole shebang. This stains everyone (Dem, Rep, etc.) and it just happens to be used by one group when the other is in power.