Four Maryland Residents Facing Federal Indictment for CARES Act COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, dated July 21, 2022, announcing a 14-count indictment, returned on July 13, 2022, charging Tyshawna Davis, Tiia Woods, Donna Jones and Devante Smith with conspiracy and wire fraud in a CARES Act unemployment insurance fraud scheme. The indictment alleges that from June 2020 through May 2021 the defendants obtained victims' names, dates of birth and social security numbers under false pretenses and used them to submit fraudulent Maryland unemployment insurance applications. It alleges that the benefits were loaded onto debit cards mailed to the defendants' addresses and used for cash withdrawals and purchases, including luxury vehicles. According to the indictment, at least 160 fraudulent claims were submitted in Maryland, with a loss of more than $3 million.
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“Four Maryland Residents Facing Federal Indictment for CARES Act COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme.”
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Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Maryland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, July 21, 2022
Four Maryland Residents Facing Federal Indictment for
CARES Act COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme with
More Than $3 Million in Losses
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging four Maryland
residents with federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges related to a CARES Act unemployment
insurance fraud scheme with more than $3 million in losses. The indictment was returned on July
13, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants. Charged in the indictment are:
Tyshawna Davis, age 38, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland;
Tiia Woods, age 44, of Cockeysville, Maryland;
Donna Jones, age 55, of Hanover, Maryland; and
Devante Smith, age 27, of Baltimore.
Davis, Jones, and Smith had initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Baltimore
before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner. They were released under the supervision of U.S.
Pretrial Services. Woods is detained in the Middle District of Florida pending a detention hearing
scheduled for July 22, 2022.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L.
Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer of the Washington Regional Office, U.S.
Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud
Investigations; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the 14-count indictment, from June 2020 through May 2021, the defendants used the
personally identifiable information (PII) of victims to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance
benefits. The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance benefits for
workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed states to give an additional $600 per
week to individuals collecting regular unemployment insurance compensation during certain months
in 2020.
The indictment alleges that the defendants obtained the names, dates of birth, and social security
numbers of victims using false pretenses, then used the PII to submit and certify fraudulent
Maryland unemployment insurance (UI) benefit applications in the victims’ names. For example,
the indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy a Maryland UI application was submitted in the
name of Davis’s deceased ex-husband. The defendants allegedly caused the UI benefits to be loaded
onto debit cards which were mailed to the addresses of the defendants, rather than the victims. The
indictment alleges that the defendants used the fraudulently obtained debit cards to make cash
withdrawals and other transactions throughout Maryland. The defendants allegedly used the cash
for their own benefit and for the benefit of others who were also not entitled to the money, including
by purchasing luxury vehicles. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of two 2021 Mercedes-Benz
automobiles and any other proceeds of the scheme.
The indictment alleges that as a result of the scheme, at least 160 fraudulent UI claims were
submitted in Maryland, with a loss of more than $3 million. The indictment details 13 specific wire
transfers involving fraudulent UI benefits obtained in the names of eight separate victims.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the
conspiracy and for each count of wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less
than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking
into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent
unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended DOL-OIG and the FBI for their work in the
investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary H. Ray and Christine Goo, who
are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available
to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-
md/community-outreach.
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Topic(s): Component(s):
Coronavirus USAO - Maryland
Financial Fraud
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