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Two Stoneham Residents Arrested on Charges of Identity Theft and Unemployment Fraud

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts dated Friday, April 9, 2021, announcing the arrest of two Stoneham residents. It states that Daniel Maleus, 33, and Lilly Nguyen, 24, were charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and that Nguyen was also charged with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and lying to a federal agent. As alleged in the complaint, Maleus and Nguyen conspired to file fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance using others' personally identifiable information. The release states that the investigation connected Maleus and Nguyen to more than $400,000 in unemployment claims between April 2020 and March 2021, and that the charges are allegations.

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“Two Stoneham Residents Arrested on Charges of Identity Theft and Unemployment Fraud.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2021-04-09-two-stoneham-residents-arrested-on-charges-of-identity-thef-7d2cf708fc/, SHA-256 d11a93b5026f5b46f031298ded43323ef962f8f23a170d938914c27b79313a7b.

Full text

                                      Department of Justice
                                        U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                       District of Massachusetts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           Friday, April 9, 2021



   Two Stoneham Residents Arrested on Charges of Identity
    Theft and Unemployment Fraud Related to COVID-19
                       Pandemic
BOSTON – Two Stoneham residents were arrested today in connection with their alleged
involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

Daniel Maleus, 33, and Lilly Nguyen, 24, were charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud,
conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nguyen was also charged with bank
fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and lying to a federal agent. Maleus and Nguyen were
released on conditions after an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon.

According to the charging documents, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(“CARES Act”) created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA, administered by the Massachusetts Department of
Unemployment Assistance, provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not
eligible for other types of unemployment benefits (e.g., the self-employed, independent contractors,
or gig economy workers).

As alleged in the complaint, Maleus and Nguyen conspired to file fraudulent claims for PUA using
others’ personally identifiable information. The investigation connected Maleus and Nguyen to more
than $400,000 in unemployment claims between April 2020 and March 2021. Nguyen also allegedly
lied to a federal agent when questioned about pandemic-related deposits into her bank accounts in
others’ names.

The charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud each provide for a sentence of up to
30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charges of wire
fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up
to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft
provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other
sentenced imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of lying to a
federal agent provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and
a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S.
Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent in Charge
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in
Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the
announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of
Unemployment Assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities,
Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Topic(s):                                           Component(s):
Financial Fraud                                     USAO - Massachusetts
                                                                                Updated April 9, 2021

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