Batavia Woman Pleads Guilty To COVID Fraud (June 8, 2022)

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, dated June 8, 2022, announcing that Danielle Tooley, 37, of Batavia, NY, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The release states that between July 9 and December 4, 2020 Tooley applied for and collected unemployment benefits connected to federal COVID-19 relief programs to which she was not entitled. The scheme came to the attention of law enforcement on November 24, 2020, when Tooley was arrested during a traffic stop and troopers recovered six New York State unemployment benefit cards issued to other individuals. Sentencing is scheduled for August 17, 2022.

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                                      Department of Justice
                                        U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                    Western District of New York


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       Wednesday, June 8, 2022

           Batavia Woman Pleads Guilty To COVID Fraud
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE:    (716) 843-5817
FAX #:    (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Danielle Tooley, 37, of Batavia,
NY, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge
carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between July 9 and
December 4, 2020, Tooley applied for and collected unemployment benefits to which she was not
entitled, benefits that were connected to federal COVID-19 relief programs. The scheme came to the
attention of law enforcement on November 24, 2020, when Tooley was arrested for criminal
possession of a controlled substance during a vehicle traffic stop on Clinton Street in Bergen, NY. A
New York State Police trooper observed a crack pipe with white residue inside Tooley’s vehicle.
Tooley admitted at the time that she had crack cocaine in the center console of the vehicle. As they
prepared for Tooley’s vehicle to be towed, troopers recovered six New York State unemployment
benefit cards issued to individuals other than Tooley, which they turned over to the U.S. Department
of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Subsequent investigation determined that Tooley consistently
withdrew money from bank accounts associated with the benefit cards.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region, under the
direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Homeland Security,
Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Todd Allen; the
U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Burr; the Social Security
Administration, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Sharon
B. MacDermott; and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 17, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.

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Topic(s):                                              Component(s):
Coronavirus                                            USAO - New York, Western


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