Petaluma Man Sentenced For Disaster Fraud In Tubbs Fire: Report

Petaluma CA

17 August, 2021

5:43 PM

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PETALUMA, CA — A Petaluma man will spend nine months behind bars and have to pay back more than $27,000 in restitution for falsely claiming his home was destroyed in the 2017 Tubbs Fire. According to court records, Justin Daly, 41, lied and said his home was one more than 5,600 structures claimed by the fire. To make matters work, prosecutors said Daly spent the disaster aid he received by taking a family vacation to Disneyland and renting a room at a waterfront hotel in Bodega Bay. Multiple news outlets reported that he ultimately pleaded guilty to disaster benefits fraud and making false statements to a government agency. Daly's lawyer told the Bay Area News Group that he blamed the offense on an addiction to methamphetamine but said his client is turning his life around. Read the full story in The Mercury News.