Nevada Man Charged In $500,830 COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme

Summary

Press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada, dated August 27, 2025. A Las Vegas man, Craig Renard Gibson, made his initial appearance in court after a federal grand jury indicted him with five counts of bank fraud, one count of illegal transactions with access devices and four counts of aggravated identity theft. According to allegations in court documents, from about August 26, 2020, to about December 9, 2020, he and others possessed debit cards issued in the names of other individuals holding Nevada and California unemployment insurance benefits and illegally withdrew over $500,000, in a scheme to steal $500,830. A jury trial is scheduled to begin October 20, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 162 years and a fine of $5,250,000.

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“Nevada Man Charged In $500,830 COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme.” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-09-09-nevada-man-charged-in-500-830-covid-19-unemployment-fraud-s-7ff1c45f3f/, SHA-256 dc0073e95eef6cee55c4d3ef2ba7eb4c761ff2892cd9a4d442486be324201f5f.

Full text

RESS RELEASE

Nevada Man Charged In $500,830 COVID-
19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme
Wednesday, August 27, 2025

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

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in court yesterday for
allegedly defrauding the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and
Rehabilitation (DETR) and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) in
a scheme to steal $500,830 in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during
the COVID-19 pandemic.

A federal grand jury indicted Craig Renard Gibson with five counts of bank fraud, one
count of illegal transactions with access devices, and four counts of aggravated identity
theft. United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts scheduled a jury trial to begin
October 20, 2025 before United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware.

“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate
allegations of fraud involving the unemployment insurance program. This collaborative
investigative effort with our local, state, and federal partners reaffirms our commitment
to investigate these types of allegations,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge,
Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

According to allegations contained in court documents, from about August 26, 2020, to
about December 9, 2020, Gibson and others possessed debit cards issued in the names
of other individuals that contained unemployment insurance benefits provided by the
Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and the
California Employment Development Department (EDD). After obtaining the debit cards,
Gibson and others illegally withdrew over $500,000 in funds from these cards.

Gibson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 162 years’ imprisonment and a fine of
$5,250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering
the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special
Agent-in-Charge Quentin Heiden for the Western Region, Department of Labor-OIG
made the announcement.

The Department of Labor-OIG and Department of Homeland Security-OIG investigated
the case. Assistant United States Attorney Mina Chang is prosecuting the case.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can
report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF)
Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form
at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

Updated August 28, 2025

Topics
CORONAVIRUS

FINANCIAL FRAUD

Component
USAO - Nevada

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Our copy: 2025-09-09-Nevada-Man-Charged-In-500-830-COVID-19-Unemployment-Fraud-Scheme-USAO-D-NV-08-27-2025.pdf
Original: www.oig.dol.gov