Attorney General Liz Murrill's Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) opened a criminal investigation after receiving information from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office (LLA) regarding allegations of fraud within a state administered program. Auditors had discovered fraud within the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) administered through the Louisiana Division of Administration (DOA), Office of Community Development (ODC), located in Baton Rouge. The ERAP provided emergency rental and utility assistance to Louisiana renters who were at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability because of financial impacts from COVID-19.

During this investigation, LBI agents learned that Brandon Brown, of Causey Road in Prairieville, who is also a landlord, had submitted fraudulent applications to ODC for purposes to receive emergency rental assistance. Among other things, Brown’s applications falsely represented 1) inclusion of tenants who did not apply for rental assistance, 2) listing of tenants who did not reside at the claimed property addresses, 3) falsely asserting ownership of certain rental properties he allegedly rented to tenant(s), and 4) overstating rental amounts on the applications.

Between March 2020 and June 2021, as a result of this scheme, Brown fraudulently received over $78,000 in emergency rental assistance from OCD for multiple properties across at least three (3) parishes (Ascension, Livingston, and St. John).

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, LBI Agents arrested Brown pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the 19th Judicial District Court on charges pertaining to:

• LA.R.S. 14:67 Felony Theft by Fraud (Over twenty-five thousand)

Brown was booked without incident at the EBR Parish Prison.

Our investigation is ongoing.

*All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.