Houston man pleads guilty to fraudulently obtaining new home with Hurricane Harvey funds

HOUSTON (KIAH) — A Houston man pleaded guilty in federal court to fraud charges after applying for and receiving a newly rebuilt home intended for Hurricane Harvey victims worth $314,000.

Christopher Montealegre, 45, admitted to charges of theft of government funds by soliciting U.S. housing and urban development funds for victims of Hurricane Harvey, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District said.

The funds were allocated by Congress to help an area declared a disaster following the 2018 storm.

“Christopher Montealegre exploited a program intended to help vulnerable victims of Hurricane Harvey and used those funds for his own personal enrichment,” said United States Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Public resources for disaster relief should go to victims who actually need them, not to enrich private actors like Montealegre. »

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 8. He then faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.