Three Charged with Stealing $40K FEMA Wildfire Aid in Los Angeles

Three individuals—Jerry Lee Clay Jr., Matthew Garnet O'Brien, and Maricka Gilmore—have been charged with fraudulently claiming to be victims of the January wildfires in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades to obtain over $40,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance. Clay allegedly submitted a fake address in the Pacific Palisades and impersonated landlords to secure nearly $15,000, while O'Brien misrepresented his residence as Altadena, obtaining over $12,000. Gilmore also submitted forged documents claiming a Pacific Palisades residence that did not exist, receiving more than $14,000. The Los Angeles County District Attorney emphasized that stealing FEMA wildfire relief funds harms genuine victims seeking help to rebuild their homes and lives. All three face felony charges including grand theft and offering false instruments, with potential prison sentences ranging from three to over four years if convicted. Gilmore was extradited from Louisiana, and preliminary hearings and arraignments are scheduled in downtown Los Angeles courts.