US Customs and Border Protection Official Accused Of Fraud
A high-ranking U.S. Customs and Border Protection official is facing serious federal charges after allegedly defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and lying to investigators about how she used disaster relief funds. Serina Baker Hill, the director of the border agency’s Center for Excellence and Expertise over Automotive and Aerospace Engineering, was charged with wire fraud, false statements, and fraud in connection with disaster relief benefits in a case that has now linked her to a broader investigation into narcotics trafficking.
According to federal prosecutors, Baker Hill applied for and received more than $6,300 in FEMA assistance following a flood that struck the Detroit area in August 2023. Under the terms of the disaster relief program, the money was meant to assist with home repairs and temporary housing costs while repairs were being made. However, surveillance and financial records suggest that neither she nor her husband, Maurice Hill, ever left their home during the supposed displacement period.
BREAKING: Kash Patel’s FBI has charged a “high ranking” career CBP official with attempting to defraud FEMA.
Nothing that happened to this country happened without people in power who let it happen. We’re not letting them get away with it anymore. pic.twitter.com/KItqG9tTyJ
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 12, 2025
Court documents reveal that the couple continued living in the house while collecting rental assistance, a violation of FEMA’s guidelines. Additionally, records of the home’s utility usage showed no significant drop, further undermining Baker Hill’s claim that the residence was uninhabitable. Yet, in an intercepted phone call, Baker Hill and her husband openly discussed how to use the funds, with Maurice Hill joking about purchasing designer shoes instead of addressing any real housing needs.
Further complicating the case, Baker Hill and her husband appear to have attempted a second fraudulent claim, this time for a property on Monte Vista Drive in Detroit. Prosecutors say Maurice Hill falsely claimed the Monte Vista address as his primary residence in a FEMA application, despite evidence showing that he actually lived at the Oak Drive address. The scheme unraveled when both properties were flagged for fraud, prompting a deeper investigation that ultimately revealed the extent of their actions.
TODAY: Following efforts with our interagency partners, I can report that a career Director level employee at US Customs and Border Protection has been charged with allegedly attempting to defraud FEMA, as well as lying to federal agents.
This is part of the new FBI’s renewed…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 12, 2025
As the case progressed, Baker Hill’s situation became even more precarious. Federal investigators were already scrutinizing her husband in connection with a large-scale narcotics trafficking and money laundering operation in Detroit. Maurice Hill, along with six others, now faces charges for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances—including cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl—along with weapons offenses and financial crimes.
While Baker Hill maintains her innocence, telling investigators she has “never conducted any illegal activity of any kind,” the evidence presented in the affidavit tells a different story. From the financial records to intercepted conversations, the prosecution’s case suggests a deliberate effort to misuse federal disaster relief funds at a time when they were intended for families truly in need.