A Cedar Falls woman who applied for and received disaster assistance from the federal government is now charged with theft. Waterloo police say 43-year-old Monique Blakeney portrayed herself as a Hurricane Katrina victim and received more than 15-thousand dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
In September 2005, police say Blakeney applied for hurricane disaster relief, listing damage to her home, personal property and vehicle. Police say she used a New Orleans address on the application, but authorities believe she was living in Cedar Falls at the time. Blakeney is charged with first-degree theft. She’s being held in the Black Hawk County Jail.