Couple Linked to Sept. 11 Fraud Get Prison Terms
A couple who falsely claimed that the woman’s sister died in the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center were sentenced to five years in prison.
Robert Lopez, 31, and his wife, Monica Cerda, 29, went on local television in San Antonio within a few hours of the attacks seeking donations supposedly to pay for a funeral.
They collected a small amount before authorities found out the sister was alive and well.
“Anybody who would take advantage of the Sept. 11 tragedy is morally depraved,” U.S. District Judge Fred Biery said as Cerda buried her head in her hands and Lopez tearfully asked for mercy.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
