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Baltimore, Maryland – A former Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) insider received a federal-prison term, today, for scheming to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) claim benefits during the COVID-19 Pandemic. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Katrina McCant, 41, of Baltimore, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Virginia residents pleaded guilty recently to filing false claims for pandemic unemployment benefits authorized by the CARES Act. The CARES Act is a federal law, enacted in March of 2020, that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thonton Snapp, 50, of Bristol, Virginia, and Jacob Michael Testerman, 36, of Abingdon, Virginia, both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and commit an offense against the United States by filing fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment...

Karin L. Contreras, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison in connection with her role in a scheme that attempted to defraud unemployment insurance programs during the COVID‑19 pandemic of more than $1 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Timothy Wadsworth, 35, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison and pay $810,965.19 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. In addition, Wadsworth was ordered to forfeit $810,956.19, which represents the wire fraud proceeds he received. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

ANDREA WELLINGTON allegedly engaged in fraud related to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) program.

Ricky Lee Ware, 43, and Kimberly Ann Wallace, 30, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke, Virginia woman, who allegedly obtained money from two separate COVID-19-era government programs and then lied on her taxes, was arraigned yesterday in federal court. Jazmin Jennings, 38, was indicted September 3, 2026 on six charges of making false tax returns and fraudulently obtaining money from two separate COVID-19-era government programs.

Josette V. Martin and Tommy J. Apodaca are facing federal charges for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits by using stolen and fictitious identities to submit false claims through New Mexico’s unemployment insurance system.

ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Virginia residents pled guilty recently to filing false claims for pandemic unemployment benefits for pandemic unemployment benefits authorized by the CARES Act. The CARES Act is a federal law, enacted in March of 2020, that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Martha Sue Buffy Davis, 50, of Glade Spring, Va., and Robert Walter Neely, 47, both pled guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and commit an offense against the United States by filing fraudulent claims for pandemic...

BOSTON – The Massachusetts State Representative for the 16th Essex District, representing Lawrence and Methuen, was arrested today and charged with fraudulently obtaining over $700,000 in COVID unemployment insurance benefits and small-business loans, and using the proceeds to buy real estate and loan money to clients of his mortgage business, before he was elected to public office.