A South Los Angeles man was sentenced Tuesday to the three months he already served behind bars for fraudulently obtaining federal disaster-relief benefits by falsely claiming his property was damaged in the wildfires that struck the region in January 2025.
Jaime Arturo Carrillo, 48, was also ordered to pay restitution of $2,281 and was placed on supervised release for three years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He pleaded guilty in April to one federal count of fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits.
On Jan. 13, 2025, Carrillo falsely stated to FEMA on an application for wildfire-relief benefits that he rented property in South Los Angeles — nearly 20 miles from the Palisades and Eaton fires — and had suffered personal property damage and a disruption in his utilities. Carrillo was not renting at the South Los Angeles residence.
As a result of his false statements, FEMA authorized Carrillo to receive transitional sheltering assistance. Using these benefits, Carrillo received free lodging for 13 nights at two Los Angeles County hotels, with a total cost of about $2,173.
Carrillo also charged nearly $107 to the room paid for by FEMA at an El Segundo hotel for food and incidental costs, papers filed in Los Angeles federal court show.