Louisiana family set more than a dozen homes on fire to collect insurance money, feds say

“The cost to Louisiana policyholders is impossible to calculate."
WWL, By WWL Staff, October 6, 2026

Seven people in north Louisiana are facing federal charges after authorities say they turned more than a dozen rental properties into targets for an alleged yearslong fraud scheme, federal authorities said.

Four of the defendants are members of the Whitlock family. All seven were arrested Sept. 23.

The defendants are Lashaundalyn Whitlock Brown, 41, and LaQuadra Whitlock, 26, of West Monroe; Latricia Whitlock, 20, and Romenique Whitlock, 37, of Monroe; Jonika James, 25, and Iesha Alexander, 26, both of Monroe; and Travericka Williams, 27, of Dallas.

All seven face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and using fire to commit a federal felony. Three of the Whitlocks also face money laundering charges.

NOLA.com reported that the defendants collected about $1 million through the alleged scheme.

Prosecutors say the group rented homes, insured them and then intentionally set them on fire. Then they allegedly filed insurance claims for belongings they said had been destroyed and sought money to cover extended hotel stays.

The group also allegedly applied for disaster relief through a national humanitarian organization, using false information to obtain cash payments.

The alleged scheme began in 2019 and involved 13 fires in Monroe and West Monroe, according to federal prosecutors. The fires caused significant damage and put firefighters and other first responders in danger, prosecutors said.

The indictment includes photographs of several of the fires, including one showing a home engulfed in flames as firefighters worked to put it out.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, Monroe Fire Department and Louisiana State Police.

“The audacity, the recklessness, and the greed of these defendants to allegedly turn fire setting into a for-profit operation is staggering,” U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller said. “The conspirators charged here fed their greed by putting innocent lives at risk, including those of first responders, and destroyed the hard-earned property of others while contributing to higher insurance costs for us all.”

“The cost to Louisiana policyholders is impossible to calculate,” FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp said. “But every single one of us pays the price when criminals take advantage of programs meant to help actual victims.”

If convicted on all charges, prosecutors say the defendants could face decades in federal prison.

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