2 Unrepentant About Selling Katrina Gift (3 bdrm, 2bath house)

[Cosmoline]

It could very well be considered fruad.

If the grounds on recieving the house was clearly stated as for people to live in the area, rebuild their lives, etc.  And they did it with no intention of doing so and flat out lied, thats fruad.

Where was this "clearly stated"?  Was it in the contract?  Was there a deed restriction?  Apparently not, so tough cookies.  It's not fraud

It's the same as applying for welfair when you have a million dollars burried in your back yard, or taking katrina aid when you lived in Omaha and just had a vacation place in the effected area.  If you lie in order to get something with a pretty clear purpose, its fraud.

When did they lie?  They were refugees, they needed a house, and when they got one they used the proceeds to return to NOLA.  You need to go review the prima facie elements of fraud. 

Then agian IANAL and its my personal opinion.
[/quote]

[Cosmoline]

Not everybody lives their lives in a lawyerly manner.  This lawyer-ization of society is a baleful influence and ought to be fought tooth & nail.

It's not a matter of lawyerization.  It's a matter of getting smacked around because you're too stupid to put some simple alienability restrictions on a property transfer.  If you give a person something, and make no agreement that it cannot be sold, you have no grounds to cry fraud if the person receiving the gift turns around and sells it. 

FWIW, I would have had some strings attached to the house/contract that precluded such abuse.  Heck, I likely would not have been in favor of such assistance in such magnitude.  Rent for 6-12 months would have been more than generous.

Exactly, it's not rocket science.  But I would go further and say only a fool gives charity and expects gratitude.  If you're going to give, don't expect anything in return.  And remember that no good deed goes unpunished.

[gunsmith]

If they bought me a house I would move to Memphis in an instant and do my best to be a good member of their Church.

[Guest]

I'm missing the part where it says they were on welfare or spent the money on plasma televisions..or was it just assumed based on their skin tone?

I'm with Cosmoline..a little tacky, but they were given the house with no restrictions and sold it and used the proceeds to move back to New Orleans. Doesn't appear they did anything illegal.