A former FEMA employee has been charged with using his job to help steal nearly $1 million of relief money after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Steven Yee, 37, used his low-level position at a FEMA center in Lower Manhattan to approve fraudulent applications for government aid, authorities said. The indictment of Mr. Yee and seven other defendants was announced yesterday.

The money came from a government program that made about $100 million available to those who faced eviction or loss of a home due to financial hardships after September 11, the indictment alleges.

“Taking unlawful advantage of disaster assistance programs that aspire to aid victims who have suffered real damage or loss is despicable,” the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, Richard Skinner, said in a statement. “We do not tolerate disaster assistance fraud in any form or fashion.”

Authorities say the defendants used doctored phone bills and fake driver’s licenses to lie about their places of residence in applications for assistance. Mr. Yee was responsible for helping applicants prepare their paperwork for the rent and mortgage assistance program.

Indicted along with Mr. Yee were: Bill Chin, 43; Christopher Chin, 41; Gregory Allen, 43; William Whitehead, 40; Janet Morales, 30; Toong How, 43, and Jason Deluca, 30.

Six of the eight co-defendants were arraigned yesterday. Of the two remaining defendants, Whitehead is currently in state prison, while Mr. How, 43, has not yet been arrested, the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, Jeffrey Goldberg, said.

The defendants face possible 20-year sentences if convicted on mail and wire fraud charges. Other charges include a false claims conspiracy, and in the case of Mr. Yee, an additional charge of making false statements to investigators.