New Jersey Man Charged With Stealing Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Summary
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced on December 16, 2020 that Maurice Mills, 28, of Union Township, New Jersey, was charged with wire fraud for using other individuals' personal identification information to obtain unemployment insurance benefits. According to the release, a single IP address was used to submit claims on behalf of approximately 20 individuals to the State of New York, many in the names of people located in Texas, with the benefits directed to locations in New Jersey. Mills was associated with the IP address and with a telephone number used for some of the claims, and was observed using an unemployment insurance benefits debit card at an ATM. The release says the claims caused more than $400,000 in actual losses and more than $600,000 in potential losses.
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Press Release New Jersey Man Charged With Stealing Unemployment Insurance Benefits Wednesday, December 16, 2020 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man will make his initial court appearance today on charges of using other individuals’ personal identification information to obtain unemployment insurance benefits, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. Maurice Mills, 28, of Union Township, New Jersey, is scheduled to appear by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment, such as people who are self-employed, independent contractors, and gig economy workers. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program called the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC) that provides an additional $600 weekly benefit to those eligible for PUA and regular unemployment insurance benefits. A single IP address was used to submit unemployment insurance benefits claims on behalf of approximately 20 individuals to the State of New York. Many of these claims were in the names of individuals located in Texas and directed the benefits to be sent to locations in New Jersey. Mills was associated both with the IP address as well as a telephone number used to make some of the claims. Mills also was observed using an unemployment insurance benefits debit card to make a withdrawal from an ATM. To date, the claims made using the IP address have resulted in more than $400,000 in actual losses and more than $600,000 in potential losses. The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits or loss, whichever is greater. U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka in New York; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero in Newark; and special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under Special Agent in Charge Mark McKevitt in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also thanked the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations for its assistance in the investigation. This case is being investigated as part of the Department of Justice’s COVID Fraud Task Force. To learn more about the Department’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark and Trial Attorney Jessica Peck, Trial Attorney, of the DOJ Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Updated October 5, 2022 Topic COVID-Related Fraud Component USAO - New Jersey Press Release Number: 20-466 Related Content Press Release Morris County Company Settles Matter Alleging it Received Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loan A Morris County tour company entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving two... December 15, 2025 Press Release Title Company Owner and Real Estate Investor Admit Mortgage Fraud, COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Schemes Two New Jersey residents admitted participating in a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scheme and one of the individuals also admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $1.8 million of federal Economic Injury... November 24, 2025 Press Release New Jersey Tax Preparer Convicted for $170 Million COVID-19 Tax Credit Scheme A New Jersey tax preparer was found guilty by a jury for his scheme seeking more than $170 million in fraudulent tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) by... November 19, 2025
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