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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man admitted in federal court today that he fraudulently filed an application for unemployment benefits provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

Orlando, Florida –U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Johnson W. Eustache to five years in federal prison for wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The court also ordered Eustache to forfeit approximately $700,000 seized from several bank accounts, as well as real properties in Palm Bay and Poinciana, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.

The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) and the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) are reminding New Mexicans to be aware as fraudsters perpetuate numerous schemes related Unemployment Insurance Claims. New Mexicans are urged to follow the guidance provided below and take immediate action as recommended to protect themselves.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man today admitted in federal court that he submitted fraudulent online applications seeking pandemic related unemployment benefits from eight states while collecting benefits from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

BOSTON – A Michigan man was arrested yesterday in Michigan in connection with his alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

LAS VEGAS – Three men made their initial appearances in federal court today for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to apply for and use Nevada and California unemployment insurance benefits debit cards — approved for over $900,000 — that were issued in other peoples’ names.

BOSTON – A Charlestown man who has been living under a false identity pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to charges arising from his use of the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen.

Oluwaseyi Akinyemi, a/k/a “Paddy Linkin”, a/k/a “Joseph Kadin”, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of mail fraud relating to a social media advanced fee fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims.

This insights report provides a contextual understanding of the cross-cutting challenges states faced within their unemployment insurance (UI) programs and highlights the substantial work that has been done by State Auditors to ensure their states’ UI programs are functioning effectively. This report examines four common insights across 16 State Auditor Offices: (1) UI workloads surged for states; (2) the claims surge exploited internal control weaknesses; (3) uncommon and varying fraud schemes began to occur as the amount of federal funding expanded; and (4) state workforce agencies...

On October 27, 2020, the Employment Security Department (ESD) notified our Office regarding a potential loss of public funds, as required by state law. Our investigation determined a misappropriation of unemployment insurance benefit funds occurred at ESD, totaling $315,282, and that ESD made an additional $121,503 in questionable payments related to this situation between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. ESD also referred the case to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for investigation.

BOSTON – A Reading man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston today in connection with a scheme to defraud an elderly relative of her interest in a three-family home and a separate scheme to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle has sentenced Kary Stevenson (47) and Corey Quinn (35), both of Tampa, for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft related to COVID unemployment insurance benefits. Stevenson was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison and Quinn was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison. As part of their sentence, the court also ordered Stevenson and Quinn to pay $87,046 in restitution to the various state workforce agencies they defrauded.

LAS VEGAS – A Florida man was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess and use California Employment Development Department (EDD) debit cards issued in other people’s names.

BOSTON – A Dominican National residing in Boston was arrested today for allegedly using others’ identities to fraudulently obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment in Colorado and nationwide led to an increase in claims for benefits. For example, the Department received 1,100 percent more claims in Calendar Year 2020 than it received in Calendar Year 2019.

BOSTON – A Malden man was sentenced today in connection with submitting fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The federal PUA program provides unemployment-related benefits to individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19.

This report is included in the Florida Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, issued by the Chief Financial Officer. The State of Florida’s basic financial statements. The State of Florida’s basic financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, were presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America

This report details the operation of the New York State UI system, the recent history and specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Trust Fund, and steps that can be taken to replenish the Trust Fund balance. Working together, New York State, participating employers and the federal government can develop solutions that restore the Trust Fund while allowing the ongoing economic recovery to continue.

The COVID-19 Pandemic presented the Department with many challenges and obstacles including a sharp increase in the volume of unemployment claims as well as the expansion of regular unemployment benefits by the federal government. The Department did not have the man-power or technology resources to adequately deal with this drastic increase in claim activity and the addition of new federal unemployment funding. The Department’s legacy unemployment System, Ohio Job Insurance (OJI), has been in place since 2004. Due to its age and functionality, it was unable to handle the increased volume of...

This report provides the results of our evaluation of the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) Unemployment Insurance program (State UI) and federally funded COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment assistance programs (Federal UI). The purpose of this report was to identify potential overpayments or improper unemployment benefit payments LWC made to claimants. Overall, we found that LWC made approximately $2.9 million in payments that potentially violated unemployment benefit program rules outlined in federal and/or state law, including payments to claimants enrolled in multiple programs at...

The purpose of this performance audit report was to assess the effectiveness of the Unemployment Insurance Agency's actions to establish federally complaint claimant eligibility criteria for the PUA program. We ultimately concluded their actions were not effective as the agency established incorrect criteria for the PUA program and failed to take timely or appropriate corrective action when notified of deficiencies by the Department of Labor.

BOSTON – A former New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on federal wire fraud charges arising from claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds.

BOSTON – A Leicester man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester in connection with his involvement in loan and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) fraud schemes.

BOSTON – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in connection with his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

BOSTON – A Texas woman pleaded guilty today to her involvement in a scheme to fraudulently claim COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was arrested today in Michigan and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with his alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain over $450,000 in COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Lawrenceville, Georgia, man pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $170,000 in unemployment benefits by submitting multiple unemployment claims in other people’s names and using benefits debit cards not belonging to him.

SAN JUAN, P.R. – On October 27 and 28, 2021, the Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned six separate indictments charging eight (8) individuals with fraud against the Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. These cases were investigated by various federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), and the Social Security...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal grand jury has returned four indictments charging six individuals with allegedly executing schemes to defraud unemployment agencies in multiple states by fraudulently applying for and receiving tens of thousands of dollars in regular and expanded pandemic related unemployment insurance benefits, at times using the stolen identities of unsuspecting individuals, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 49 months in federal prison for filing two dozen fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, which were approved for more than $250,000 in unemployment benefits from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and California Employment Development Department (EDD).