DOJ Accuses CBP Official of Defrauding FEMA

March 12, 2025 TruthUSA

A woman is facing accusations of fraud after allegedly collecting funds by claiming her home was uninhabitable due to flood damage.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged a long-standing director-level employee at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for allegedly attempting to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and providing false information to federal agents.

The DOJ announced the charges on March 12 for Serina Baker-Hill, 55, from Detroit.

She is accused of fraudulently seeking FEMA assistance by claiming that her home was uninhabitable due to flooding in her basement.

Following a series of floods that struck the Detroit area in August 2023, FEMA permitted residents to apply for assistance.

Baker-Hill submitted an application, and an agency inspector confirmed the flood damage to her basement.

The CBP employee subsequently asserted that her home on Oak Drive in Detroit was unsafe for living while repairs were underway, prompting FEMA to approve her assistance benefits.

According to a press release from the DOJ, “The approval letter from FEMA stated that the rental assistance funds were to be utilized exclusively for paying rent and essential utility costs while Baker-Hill was in temporary accommodations.”

However, the DOJ reported that Baker-Hill’s bank statements revealed that none of the FEMA funds were used for rent, hotel stays, or utility payments.

Additionally, home surveillance footage indicated that she and her husband continued to reside in their house even after receiving FEMA’s rental aid, as stated by the DOJ.

Following an interview with the FBI and CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Baker-Hill claimed that she had never engaged in any illegal activities nor defrauded the federal government.

The DOJ’s criminal complaint alleges that she had “the intent to defraud” and used “communication or led another to use wire communications in interstate commerce to further the scheme.”

The alleged wrongdoing came to light while the FBI was investigating Baker-Hill’s husband, Maurice Hill, for drug trafficking and additional charges, as detailed in the complaint.

Due to her position at CBP, officials initiated a concurrent investigation into Baker-Hill to “examine her involvement with Maurice’s narcotics trafficking,” which included wiretap measures.

During these investigations, it became apparent both Baker-Hill and her husband were allegedly involved in a scheme to defraud FEMA following the flood that occurred on August 24, 2023, according to the complaint.

Maurice Hill had filed a FEMA assistance claim for another property they own on Monte Vista Drive, claiming it as his primary residence, as per the DOJ.

When investigators determined that he actually lived with Baker-Hill at their Oak Drive residence, his FEMA claim was flagged as potentially fraudulent.

Meanwhile, Baker-Hill allegedly submitted a FEMA assistance request for their primary residence on Oak Drive, which had experienced basement flood damage.

FBI Director Kash Patel discussed the case in a post on X, reiterating the FBI’s commitment to combat public corruption and ensure accountability for the American populace.

“Justice will be served,” Patel stated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown is handling the prosecution of the case.

Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck, alongside Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, and Daniel Altman, executive director of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, announced the charges on March 12.

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