Federal charges filed in Katrina-related scam

Two people accused of posing as American Red Cross volunteers and taking in as much as $2,000 have been charged in California in the first federal case involving an alleged Hurricane Katrina relief scam, prosecutors said.
Federal law bars anyone from impersonating a Red Cross worker. A conviction can lead to five years in prison.
Tino Lee, 44, of Burbank and Gina Liz Nicholas, 19, of Glendale, California, were charged Friday, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. Both were in custody pending a Monday hearing. It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys who could comment.Authorities said the two set up a table with a collection box outside a Best Buy store in Burbank and displayed fliers that read: "Help Now. American Red Cross Relief For Hurricane Katrina."They had collected as much as $2,000 in cash, as well as a check for $200, before their arrest Thursday night, authorities said. Police took them into custody after determining they lacked the paperwork to prove they represented the relief group. A 14-year-old girl also received a citation to appear in Juvenile Court."We have taken a zero-tolerance position against those who would use a national tragedy such as Hurricane Katrina to line their pockets with money intended for victims," U.S. Attorney Debra Wong Yang said.