Bradenton, FL — Veronica Torres, 44, was arrested Friday for attempting to fraudulently claim funds from the City of Bradenton’s Hurricane Disaster Assistance Program. Torres faces charges of filing a false public assistance claim after attempting to exploit hurricane recovery funds.
According to the Bradenton Police Department (BPD), Torres submitted an application claiming she had to relocate due to hurricane damage and needed financial assistance for temporary housing. The application requested nearly $8,000 in relief under the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.
The application was initially approved, and when Torres arrived to pick up the check, a city employee noticed discrepancies. Meredith Censullo, BPD’s public information officer, explained, “Something just didn’t seem right. The employee noticed Torres appeared much younger than the date of birth listed on her application.”
When questioned, Torres allegedly explained the discrepancy by attributing it to “Botox”. Investigators later determined that Torres had used her mother’s personal information on the application without her mother’s knowledge or consent.
Thanks to the vigilance of the city employee, who raised concerns, police intervened before the check was disbursed. The BPD emphasized that had Torres successfully received the funds, it would have diverted resources away from legitimate hurricane victims in need.
Police credited the employee for reporting the suspicious behavior, noting that fraudulent claims are unfortunately common, particularly in the wake of natural disasters.
