Memphis Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison

Summary

Press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee, dated January 22, 2026. Deashley Tabor was sentenced on January 16, 2026, to 41 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false claims against the U.S. Government. According to information presented in court, Tabor and a co-conspirator defrauded the U.S. Government out of over $560,000 by filing fraudulent applications for unemployment benefits in over 27 different states during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also defrauded the federally funded Tennessee Emergency Cash Assistance (ECA) program of approximately $20,000 by creating fake employment termination notices for themselves and others.

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“Memphis Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison.” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2026-01-23-memphis-woman-sentenced-to-41-months-in-federal-prison-for-e8a6607cbc/, SHA-256 97dde8d197f4599e56b8ff02d922941524cbb4ff19c0163715dacba896b0136c.

Full text

PRESS RELEASE

Memphis Woman Sentenced to 41 Months
in Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID-
19 Relief Programs of Over $560,000
Thursday, January 22, 2026

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

Memphis, TN – A Memphis woman has been sentenced to federal prison for
defrauding two federal programs intended to help people survive the COVID-19
pandemic out of over $560,000. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the
Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

Deashley Tabor, 37, was sentenced on January 16, 2026, to 41 months of incarceration
to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge
Sheryl H. Lipman for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false claims against
the U.S. Government.

According to information presented in court, Tabor and her co-conspirator defrauded
the U.S. Government out of over $560,000 by filing fraudulent applications for
unemployment benefits in over 27 different states during the first year of the COVID-19
pandemic. Tabor and her co-conspirator also defrauded the federally funded Tennessee
Emergency Cash Assistance (ECA) program of approximately $20,000 by creating fake
employment termination notices for themselves and others. The ECA program was
intended to provide financial assistance to families that had been significantly affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic because of lost employment.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Fraudulent schemes and crimes of dishonesty
will be exposed and punished. This case represents our commitment to expose COVID-
19 benefit fraud well beyond the pandemic, protect the integrity of the employment
assistance system, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and
to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victimized agencies."

“Deashley Tabor defrauded the U.S. Government and taxpayers in an unemployment
insurance fraud scheme that targeted multiple State Workforce agencies, enriching
themselves when millions of Americans desperately needed the money,” stated Anthony
P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to protecting the integrity of the
unemployment insurance program by vigorously pursuing those who commit this type
of fraud.”

“These individuals exploited a public health emergency to steal money and resources
intended for families in need,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the
Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This
sentencing underscores HHS-OIG’s unwavering commitment, alongside our law
enforcement partners, to protect taxpayer dollars and hold accountable those who
defraud programs designed to help during times of crisis.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General
and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony
R. Arvin.

###

For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team
at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at
@WDTNNews for office news and updates.

Updated January 22, 2026

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Original: www.oig.dol.gov