Hawaii Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Disaster Relief Funds Intended for Lahaina and Pacific Palisades Fire Victims

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, Friday, April 3, 2026

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday to four months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release (the first four months to be served as home confinement), along with $60,458 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Her co-defendant, Daylyn Harris, who also pled guilty, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2026.

According to court records, Harris and Johnson conspired to defraud FEMA by submitting false disaster relief claims tied to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfires.  They claimed lost income, housing, and property even though they did not live in the disaster area or suffer those losses.  

Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina during the Lahaina wildfires and that he lost housing, income, suffered medical bills, and lost property as a result.  Johnson assisted that fraud by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord.  Johnson then falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the Pacific Palisades wildfires and falsely claimed she lost housing and incurred other expenses as a result.  Together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA intended for victims of the wildfires.

The Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.

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Two Indicted for Fraudulent FEMA Claims for Lahaina Fire and California Fire Federal Disasters

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, Thursday, July 17, 2025

HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Daylyn Harris, 34, and Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, were arrested on July 15, 2025 and charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2025.

The indictment alleges that Harris and Johnson conspired with each other and carried out a wire fraud scheme, wherein Harris and Johnson submitted false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), claiming to have suffered income, housing, and property losses as a result of two federal disasters, when, as Harris and Johnson both knew, they did not live in the disaster area or suffer any such losses. Specifically, Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina, Hawaii during the Lahaina fires federal disaster in August and September 2023, and that he lost housing and income, suffered medical bills, and lost property when, in fact, did not suffer such losses. Johnson assisted the fraudulent claim by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. The indictment also alleges that in January 2025, Johnson falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the California fires federal disaster and claimed lost housing and other expenses. The indictment alleges that, together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA.

If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to thirty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.

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HNN: Honolulu residents accused of filing fraudulent claims for Lahaina, Los Angeles fire disasters

KITV: Lahaina and California 'residents' indicted for false FEMA fire relief | Crime & Courts | kitv.com

RB: Recent Booking / Mugshot for DAYLYN HARRIS in Hillsborough County, Florida 2023