Missouri Couple Sentenced for Unlawfully Obtaining COVID-19 Jobless Benefits (Press Release, May 18, 2023)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia dated May 18, 2023, about Case Nos. 2:23-cr-16 and 2:23-cr-17. It announces that Robert Notgrass and Rhonda Notgrass of St. Charles, Missouri, were each sentenced by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger to five years of federal probation after unlawfully obtaining $26,917 in pandemic unemployment benefits. The release states that Rhonda Notgrass applied to WorkForce West Virginia on August 15, 2020, falsely claiming pandemic-related unemployment, and received approximately $14,150, while Robert Notgrass admitted wrongly receiving $12,767. It reports guilty pleas to theft of government property and aiding and abetting that theft, and that the couple has fully paid the restitution.

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PRESS RELEASE



Missouri Couple Sentenced for
Unlawfully Obtaining COVID-19
Jobless Benefits
Thursday, May 18, 2023


For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Charles, Missouri husband and wife were each sentenced to
five years of federal probation today after unlawfully obtaining $26,917 in
unemployment benefits provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (CARES) Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.

The CARES Act provided for a temporary emergency increase in unemployment
compensation benefits, referred to as the Federal Pandemic Unemployment
Compensation Program (FPUC). The CARES Act also created the PUA program, which
provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment
compensation or extended unemployment benefits. The FPUC and PUA programs are
collectively referred to as pandemic unemployment benefits and even though these
benefits are administered by the states, they are funded in part by the federal
government.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Robert Notgrass, 51, and
Rhonda Notgrass, 46, lived in Washington, West Virginia, when Robert Notgrass was
employed as a pastor of a local church from before January 1, 2018, until he was
released from that position on June 1, 2020.

On August 15, 2020, Rhonda Notgrass applied for pandemic unemployment benefits
with WorkForce West Virginia, the agency that administers the pandemic
unemployment benefits for West Virginians. Rhonda Notgrass falsely claimed that she
was unemployed as a direct result of a pandemic or major disaster. Robert Notgrass
helped his wife complete the application and submitted a letter on her behalf in
furtherance of the false claim.
On September 16, 2020, Rhonda Notgrass received approximately $14,150 in pandemic
unemployment benefits payment from WorkForce West Virginia. The payment included
federal monies from the CARES Act. Rhonda Notgrass admitted that she knew she was
not entitled to receive the pandemic unemployment benefits. Rhonda Notgrass pleaded
guilty to theft of government property.

Robert Notgrass admitted to wrongly receiving $12,767 in pandemic unemployment
benefits. Robert Notgrass pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the theft of government
property.

The couple has fully paid the $26,917 in court-ordered restitution.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the
investigative work of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (OIG)
and WorkForce West Virginia.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United
States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement
Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with
agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-
related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most
culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with
administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting
and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and
techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing
information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information
on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please
visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can
report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud
(NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form
at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be
found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:23-cr-16 and 2:23-cr-17.

                                            ###
Updated May 18, 2023

Topic
CORONAVIRUS
Component
USAO - West Virginia, Southern


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