Chicago Man Indicted on Fraud Charges Related to Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, dated October 5, 2022, announcing that a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Christian Matthews, 33, a former resident of Chicago, on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The seven-count Superseding Indictment names Matthews as the sole defendant. According to the Superseding Indictment, Matthews used other people's personal identifying information without permission to file claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in several states, with the benefits sent to locations including an office building in Pittsburgh. The release states that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 22 years in prison and that the government is requesting detention.
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“Chicago Man Indicted on Fraud Charges Related to Pandemic Unemployment Benefits.”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2022-10-14-chicago-man-indicted-on-fraud-charges-related-to-pandemic-u-256feb9d09/
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Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Pennsylvania
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Chicago Man Indicted on Fraud Charges Related to
Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Chicago, IL, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in
Pittsburgh, PA on a charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, United States
Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The seven-count Superseding Indictment, returned on Oct. 4, named Christian Matthews, 33, as the
sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, Matthews fraudulently obtained personal identifying
information belonging to other people and used it, without permission, to file claims for pandemic-
related unemployment benefits in several states. The resulting benefits were sent via the United
States mail and interstate commercial carriers to locations, including an office building in Pittsburgh,
where Matthews could retrieve and use them.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the
seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The government is
requesting detention.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the
government.
The United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, United States Department of
Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Findlay Township
Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until
proven guilty.
Topic(s):
Coronavirus
Financial Fraud
Identity Theft
Component(s):
USAO - Pennsylvania, Western
Updated October 5, 2022
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