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Center Line Resident Sentenced in Unemployment Fraud Scheme

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan dated March 21, 2023. It announces that April Rienstra of Center Line was sentenced by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $318,760 in restitution, following a November 2022 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. According to court documents, the release states, between April 2020 and May 2021 Rienstra submitted false applications for pandemic unemployment benefits to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency on behalf of Rienstra and others who paid a fee. It states that the scheme involved dozens of fraudulent claims and resulted in over $300,000 in losses to the agency.

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“Center Line Resident Sentenced in Unemployment Fraud Scheme.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2023-03-27-center-line-resident-sentenced-in-unemployment-fraud-scheme-96aef66a30/, SHA-256 d59112aa876c9aa1487ba113a98860cb47adb949d70f3c2ffded6343a59f5951.

Full text

                                     Department of Justice
                                       U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                    Eastern District of Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Tuesday, March 21, 2023

   Center Line Resident Sentenced in Unemployment Fraud Scheme
DETROIT – A Center Line woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison today based on her
conviction for stealing over $300,000 as part of a wire fraud scheme targeting pandemic
unemployment assistance benefits, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.


Joining Ison in the announcement were James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit
Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge of the
Chicago Region of the Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General.


April Rienstra, 52, was sentenced by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman following her
November 2022 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud arising from a scheme to defraud the Michigan
Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA).


According to Court documents, between April 2020 and May 2021, Rienstra defrauded the MUIA by
submitting false applications for pandemic unemployment benefits on behalf of herself and others
(who paid her a fee). Ultimately, her scheme involved dozens of fraudulent claims and resulted in
over $300,000 in losses to the MUIA.


In addition to the 18 months of imprisonment, Rienstra was ordered to pay $318,760 in restitution.


United States Attorney Ison stated, “Enhanced assistance for unemployed workers was a key lifeline
for many of our district’s citizens during the pandemic. Unfortunately, those enhanced benefits
attracted criminals seeking to exploit the system and enrich themselves at the public’s expense. Our
office will remain vigilant in our pursuit of those who cheat the government and their fellow
citizens.”


“Ms. Rienstra defrauded a system designed to provide much needed support to individuals who were
unemployed because of the pandemic. Her actions potentially prevented those who legitimately
needed financial support during difficult times from receiving vital assistance,” said James A.
Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI and our partners are committed to
holding those who defraud the government accountable for their crimes.”


“April Rienstra defrauded the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency of more than
$300,000 by filing multiple fraudulent unemployment insurance claims that she was not entitled to.
We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and state workforce agencies to protect
the integrity of unemployment insurance benefit programs," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-
Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alyse Wu. The investigation was
conducted jointly by the FBI and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Component(s):
USAO - Michigan, Eastern
                                                                              Updated March 21, 2023

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