Trip to Aruba surfaces in US hurricane relief fraud case

ORANJESTAD — A Michigan woman has been sentenced to six months in federal prison after a jury convicted her of fraud involving disaster relief intended for victims of Hurricane Ian in Florida. During the investigation, authorities noted that one day before applying for federal disaster assistance, she returned from a trip to Aruba carrying USD 13,500 in cash.

Toni Fisher, 61, received nearly USD 50,000 from FEMA after her vacation property in Fort Myers Beach was damaged during Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Prosecutors argued that Fisher presented the Florida property as her primary residence in order to qualify for assistance, while investigators said she was primarily living in Michigan. Authorities used bank, airline and casino records as evidence to show that she mainly stayed in Florida during the winter months.

As part of the investigation, federal agents also established that Fisher had returned from Aruba with USD 13,500 in cash the day before filing her disaster-relief application. That information formed part of the travel and financial evidence reviewed in the case.

Her attorney disputed the government’s account, arguing that Fisher genuinely lost her vacation home in the hurricane and submitted legitimate documentation requested by FEMA. The main dispute, according to the defense, concerned whether the Florida home qualified as her primary residence and how much time she actually spent there.

The defense also alleged that FEMA made several errors while handling the application and said Fisher offered to repay the money once she was told she might not qualify.

Fisher eventually repaid the full amount after trial. She was sentenced to six months in prison.