From WSJ;

A RICO suit filed on Monday is far more narrow in focus, targeting BP’s claims process. The suit filed in the Southern District of Alabama has accused three entities — BP, a catastrophe contractor that apparently is helping BP administer claims and a property management company — of fraudulent practices in helping claimants seek recourse under funds set aside via the Oil Pollution Act.

According to the suit, the property manager, Brett/Robinson Gulf Corp., had offered up itself as a go-between for property owners and BP, filing claims on behalf of vacation home owners on the tar-ball littered shores of Alabama. But the suit claims the company was doling out legal advice, and bad legal advice at that, then charging homeowners for its services.

Job seekers interested in oil spill clean-up jobs should be wary of any offers that involve fees for training or job placement, the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) said today.

 

“All clean-up response training for the entire Gulf Coast for the BP effort is being coordinated by PEC Premier of Mandeville at no cost to trainees,” said LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink. “If an organization is charging a fee to those getting the training, they should be reported.” Source: GovMonitor

From the AP ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has called out the National Guard to help spread the word among coastal residents that they can apply to BP for oil spill compensation. Riley said Tuesday at a training session for Guardsmen that fewer than 30 people have applied for lost rental revenue out of 17,000 condominiums in the region. And he says only 70 applications have been filed be fishing captains even though the state has about 1,000 charter fishing boats. He says Guardsmen will go through communities for three weeks telling people about the claims process.