More People Charged with Sandy Fraud

Four more people are facing charges after allegedly filing fraudulent claims for Sandy relief.

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced charges against Nabil Girgis, Nicole Loryn Fiel, Robert T. Bland, and Michael A. Vetter on November 6, 2014.  That brings the total number of people charged with Sandy-related fraud since March 2014 to 20.

65-year-old Nabil Girgis of Toms River is charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.  Prosecutors say Girgis received a total of $41,900 in grants from FEMA and the Homeowner Resettlement Program by claiming a storm-damaged rental property in Seaside Heights as his primary residence.

41-year-old Robert T. Bland, whose last known address was in Highlands, is also charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.  Prosecutors allege that Bland received $19,385 in FEMA rental assistance by falsely claiming to have resided at the Thunderbird Motel in Seaside Heights during the time of the storm.

56-year-old Micahael A. Vetter of Bayonne is also charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification in connection to FEMA rental assistance.  Prosecutors say Vetter received $16,200 after submitting fraudulent documents claiming he had rented an apartment after being displaced from a residence in Little Egg Harbor.

34-year-old Nicole Loryn Fiel of Brooklyn, NY is charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification after prosecutors say she received $28,080 in federal funds by claiming a storm-damaged house she co-owns in Brick Township was her primary residence.

Third-degree charges carry a sentence of 3 to 5 years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.  Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of $10,000.