More charges filed against Red Cross workers accused of Katrina relief fraud News
More charges filed against Red Cross workers accused of Katrina relief fraud

[JURIST] Federal authorities have now indicted a total of 49 people for involvement in a scheme to fraudulently collect more than $200,000 from American Red Cross [organization website; press release] funds designed to assist Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive] victims. The Red Cross discovered the fraud after an internal audit revealed unusually high payouts from the Bakersfield, California Red Cross call center, where at least 14 of the suspects were employed by a call center contractor. The employees are believed to have helped family and friends file false claims for aid money, collecting an average payout of $1,000 per claim. Following indictments made in October [US DOJ press release], six people have pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges. AP has more.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase:

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.