BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo woman will spend the next 88 months in prison for using the personal information of hurricane victims for her own benefit.
The US Attorney's Office says Keonna Davis, 33, was working as a disaster recovery specialist for the US Small Business Administration (SBA) in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August, 2017.
In that role, Davis dealt directly with loan applicants who would provide their name, social security number and date of birth to determine if they were eligible for assistance. Davis also had access to an SBA data base containing personal information of other applicants.
The US Attorney's office said in January, 2018 Davis used the personal information of a victim who applied for a loan to apply for a $4,900 loan of her own so she could lease a French bulldog. Davis scanned a copy of the victim's driver's license, replacing the victim's picture with her own.
Davis was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for using similar schemes against more than ten victims resulting in a loss of over $285,000.
“Those entrusted to distribute disaster relief funds owe a duty both to the taxpayers who fund the programs they administer and to the disaster victims who receive such funds,” stated U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “When people like the defendant violate that trust, they should expect to receive the same treatment as she did—federal prosecution and a significant prison sentence.”
