Roshell Beaty Sentenced To 124 Months In Prison For Over $1 Million In COVID Fraud

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan, dated December 5, 2023, announcing that U.S. Attorney Mark Totten reported Roshell Beaty of Benton Harbor was sentenced to 124 months in prison. Beaty previously pled guilty to two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. The release states that Beaty and co-defendants took $749,086 of unemployment insurance money from Michigan, California, Indiana, Illinois, and Arizona and $287,784 in loans intended for businesses, for a total of $1,036,870. It describes Beaty as the leader of the group who enlisted five family members, all of whom have been convicted. It quotes officials of the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.

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PRESS RELEASE



Roshell Beaty Sentenced To 124
Months In Prison For Over $1
Million In COVID Fraud
Tuesday, December 5, 2023


For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan

  Beaty enlisted the help of five family members who have been convicted alongside her

      GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of
Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Roshell Beaty, 46, of Benton Harbor, was
sentenced to 124 months in prison for her role related to pandemic fraud schemes used
to obtain over $1 million in COVID-19 relief. Beaty previously pled guilty to two counts
of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.

      “Federal pandemic dollars were meant to protect people who had fallen on hard
times,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Beaty and her co-defendants deliberately
devised a multi-state plan to commit fraud and steal over a million dollars. My office will
continue to aggressively hold accountable scam artists and cheats who steal hard-
earned taxpayer dollars.”

        Beaty and her family stole $1,036,870 in money intended to help people during
the COVID pandemic. During COVID, the federal government provided money to states
to distribute to people who could not work. Beaty and her co-defendants stole $749,086
of unemployment insurance money to which they were not entitled from Michigan,
California, Indiana, Illinois, and Arizona. They did this by filing unemployment insurance
claims in their own names in multiple states, often states where they did not live or
work. Beaty also filed unemployment insurance claims in the names of other people by
using fake identification documents. Beaty and her co-defendants also stole $287,784 in
loans intended for businesses suffering decreased business due to the COVID pandemic.
Beaty was the leader of the group, and she enlisted the help of five family members to
file fraudulent claims. Those family members have all been convicted for their role in the
conspiracy. The previous press release can be viewed by visiting the following link Six
Defendants Charged In $1 Million Covid Fraud Schemes.

       “The blatant disregard by the defendant to defraud unemployment insurance and
loan programs during the COVID-19 pandemic while many individuals and families were
struggling was staggering,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the
FBI in Michigan. “Providing false information to fraudulently gain access to relief funds
is a theft of taxpayer money. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to
investigate and hold those accountable who seek to defraud government assistance
programs.”

      "Roshel Beaty defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by filing false
unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims,” said Irene
Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor,
Office of Inspector General. “Beaty stole benefits intended to assist those who became
unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law
enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit
these benefit programs.”

       “This sentencing wraps up yet another successful anti-fraud case for UIA’s
investigators who work closely with our law enforcement partners at the state and
federal levels to stop fraudsters,” said Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency
Director Julia Dale. “Our agency has increased its staffing in the Fraud and
Investigations Division to allocate even more resources to catching bad actors who steal
from Michigan taxpayers and bringing them to justice.”

       This case was investigated by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic
Opportunity, the Michigan Department of Labor, and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.

                                           ###

Updated December 5, 2023

Topics
CONSUMER PROTECTION

CYBERCRIME

FINANCIAL FRAUD

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT
Component
USAO - Michigan, Western


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