Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating contractor fraud involving a woman from Walker, Louisiana. Danielle Matherne (also known as Danielle Gaspard or Danielle Morales), 35, is currently in custody in Tangipahoa Parish and has a lengthy criminal history of theft and fraud.

Earlier this month, a local news outlet reported Matherne, who operates a business under the name of Bellisimo Interior & Design, was under investigation for contractor fraud in St. Tammany Parish. After seeing the news story, a Lockport woman contacted the Sheriff’s Office on February 12, 2020. She said she had paid several thousand dollars to Matherne in November 2019 to remodel her kitchen. She said the work was started but never completed. She called the business multiple times but could not make contact with Matherne.

Investigators learned Matherne was currently incarcerated in Tangipahoa Parish and that there were active investigations in other parishes. Following an investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Danielle Matherne for Contractor Fraud in this case. She currently remains in Tangipahoa Parish.

Matherne has prior arrests in several parishes, mostly for theft, fraud and related charges. In 2017, she was arrested in Lafourche Parish for Misapplication of Payments by a Contractor.

As detectives continue their investigation into Matherne, they are asking any residents of Lafourche Parish who have been victimized by her or her business to please contact Detective Stephen Schieffler at (985) 532-4357.