RJN 5 — In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation (Dkt. 590-7, S.D. Cal. No. 3:21-md-02992)

Summary

Document 590-7, filed 10/17/25 and labeled RJN 5, is a one-page alert dated 5/14/2020 and marked CONFIDENTIAL, titled Massive Fraud Against State Unemployment Insurance Programs. It says the United States Secret Service received reporting of a well-organized Nigerian fraud ring exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment insurance programs. Washington was the primary state targeted so far, with evidence of attacks in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Florida, and it calls every state vulnerable. The alert says the network is believed to consist of hundreds, if not thousands, of mules, with potential losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and asks recipients to pass the information to state offices and local financial institutions. It carries the reference number BANA_EDD_MDL-00205361.

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RJN 5 
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 590-7     Filed 10/17/25     PageID.39996 
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CONFIDENTIAL 
5/14/2020 
Massive Fraud Against State Unemployment Insurance Programs 
The United States Secret Service has received reporting of a well-organized Nigerian fraud ring 
exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment 
insurance programs. The primary state targeted so far is Washington, while there is also 
evidence of attacks in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wyoming and 
Florida. It is extremely likely every state is vulnerable to this scheme and will be targeted if they 
have not been already. 
In the state of Washington, individuals residing out-of-state are receiving multiple ACH deposits 
from the State of Washington Unemployment Benefit Program, all in different individuals' 
names with no connection to the account holder. A substantial amount of the fraudulent 
benefits submitted have used PII from first responders, government personnel and school 
employees. It is assumed the fraud ring behind this possess a substantial PII database to submit 
the volume of applications observed thus far. 
This fraud network is believed to consist of hundreds, if not thousands, of mules with potential 
losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The banks targeted have been at all levels 
including local banks, credit unions, and large national banks. 
Please communicate the information regarding this fraud to the appropriate office at your local 
state level and liaison with local financial insitutions to identify mules and potential seizures. If 
you have reports of similar activity or do so in the future, please send to the following email 
router for coordination: g_ku:.speciaiaps@ussuJhs.gov. 
BANA_EDD_MDL-00205361 
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 590-7     Filed 10/17/25     PageID.39997 
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