A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official faces charges for allegedly “engaging in a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and lying to federal agents.”

The Justice Department announced charges against the Director of United States Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Center for Excellence and Expertise over Automotive and Aerospace Engineering.

Serina Baker-Hill, 55, faces accusations of lying to receive federal funds after her home flooded.

WATCH:

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan:

Serina Baker-Hill, 55, of Detroit, is a career employee of CBP. Following a series of floods in the Detroit area in August of 2023, Michigan’s request for a federal disaster declaration was approved, which allowed residents to apply for FEMA assistance. Baker-Hill applied for FEMA assistance for flood damage and a FEMA inspector determined there was damage to the basement in Baker-Hill’s home. During the inspection, Baker-Hill informed the inspector she was not able to live safely in the home while the repairs were being made. Consequently, FEMA approved benefits for Baker Hill to assist with home repairs and for two months of rental assistance. The approval letter from FEMA indicated that the rental assistance money was to be used solely to help Baker-Hill pay rent and essential utility costs while she was in temporary housing.

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According to Baker-Hill’s bank records, none of the FEMA money was used for rental, hotel, or utility expenses. Video surveillance at the home showed that Baker-Hill and her husband continued to live in the home after receiving the rental assistance funds from FEMA. Additionally, records for the home do not show a significant drop in utilities consistent with the property being unoccupied during this time.

“Following efforts with our interagency partners, I can report that a career Director level employee at US Customs and Border Protection has been charged with allegedly attempting to defraud FEMA, as well as lying to federal agents,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.

“This is part of the new FBI’s renewed efforts to crack down on public corruption and deliver accountability for the American people,” he added.

FOX 2 Detroit noted:

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Baker-Hill was approved to receive help paying for the repairs and two months of rental assistance to stay somewhere else while the repairs were being done. That money was only to be used for rent and essential costs while Baker-Hill was displaced.

However, none of that money was used for its intended purpose, the DOJ alleges. Instead, Baker-Hill and her husband remained living in the home and did not use the relief money for rental assistance, a hotel, or utilities. This was confirmed by bank records, surveillance video of the home, and utility bills, the DOJ said.

When Baker-Hill was interviewed by authorities, she allegedly claimed to have done nothing illegal.

 

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