Ocean City Homeowner Admits to Superstorm Sandy Fraud: U.S. Attorney

A South Jersey woman admitted to her role in defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of about $20,000 by lying about her secondary residence in Ocean City following Super Storm Sandy, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said on Wednesday.

Andrea Knoerzer 53, of Voorhees, pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of disaster benefits fraud.

Knoerzer admitted that she applied for FEMA benefits on Nov. 1, 2012, three days after Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey on Oct. 29, 2012, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

She claimed that her house in Ocean City was her primary residence. She said the storm damaged it, and she was unable to continue living there. She also claimed that the storm damaged her 2001 Volvo station wagon.

She lied in each count, as her primary home is in Voorhees, and her Volvo wasn’t in Ocean City during the storm. FEMA awarded her temporary rental assistance.

Knoerzer admitted she submitted two fraudulent documents to FEMA to secure continued disaster assistance through FEMA’s rental assistance program.

She ultimately received $13,373 from FEMA’s emergency rental assistance funds and $7,500 for transportation assistance to which she was not entitled.

She now faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 23.