U.S. Department of Labor OIG, 23 Indicted on Federal CARES Act Unemployment Fraud Charges (USAO WD-VA 04/28/2021) (2021-04-29)

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia dated Wednesday, April 28, 2021, announcing that a federal grand jury in Abingdon returned an indictment charging 23 individuals with conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing claims for more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, mail fraud and related offenses. According to court documents, the defendants filed claims through the Virginia Employment Commission website for people not eligible, including inmates in southwest Virginia regional jails, for approximately 37 individuals. The release lists each defendant and the counts charged, beginning with Jeffrey R. Tackett, Jimmy W. Barnette and George L. Buckles, and says eight co-conspirators have already entered plea agreements. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting.

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                                          Department of Justice
                                            U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                         Western District of Virginia


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      Wednesday, April 28, 2021

       23 Indicted on Federal CARES Act Unemployment Fraud
                               Charges
    ABINGDON, Va. – A federal grand jury in Abingdon returned an indictment today charging 23
    individuals with their roles in a large conspiracy to defraud the United States government by filing
    fraudulent claims for more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, mail fraud and
    associated offenses.

    According to court documents, the defendants conspired to file claims for pandemic unemployment
    benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) website. The scheme involved
    submitting claims for various individuals who were not eligible to receive pandemic unemployment
    benefits, including for numerous inmates incarcerated in southwest Virginia regional jails.

    Conspiracy members lied on the filings as part of the scheme to make filers appear eligible for
    benefits. Because pandemic unemployment benefits were paid weekly, each of those filings re-
    verified and re-certified the false statements on numerous occasions throughout the scheme.

    In all, the conspiracy filed fraudulent claims for approximately 37 individuals, causing at least
    $499,000 in false claims to be have been paid. In addition to those indicted, eight co-conspirators
    have already entered into plea agreements with the United States.

    Those charged by the grand jury today include:

•   Jeffrey R. Tackett, 29, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, two counts of aggravated
    identify theft, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of making false statements.
•   Jimmy W. Barnette, 28, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one count of aggravated
    identity theft, and one count of making false statements.
•   George L. Buckles, 31, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one count of aggravated
    identity theft, and one count of making false statements.
•   Joshua S. Carroll, 31, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Darrell D. Davis, 66, of Lebanon, Va., one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count
    of emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one count of
    aggravated identity theft, and one count of making false statements.
•   Melinda R. Davis, 58, of Lebanon, Va., one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count
    of emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count
    of aggravated identity theft.
•   Eugene A. Grizzle, 19, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Joseph N. Hall, 42, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Wesley W. Hickman, 24, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of
    emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of
    aggravated identity theft.
•   Jacob B. Hicks, 35, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Timothy H. Hileman, 29, of Castlewood, Va., one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one
    count of emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one
    count of aggravated identify theft, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of making false
    statements.
•   Ajay Johnson, 25, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency relief
    fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   John C. Johnson, Jr., 33, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of
    emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of
    aggravated identity theft.
•   John C. Johnson, Sr., 57, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of
    emergency relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of
    aggravated identity theft.
•   Randall D. Johnson, 41, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Marissa L. Kiser, 26, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Curtis E. Mullins, 25, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Danny L. Mullins, 49, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   James B. Mullins, 31, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of mail fraud
    conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making
    false statements..
•   Steven J. Mullins, 33, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated
    identity theft.
•   Veronica S. Mullins, 47, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of emergency
    relief fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, three counts of aggravated
    identify theft, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of making false statements.
•   Patrick A. Payne, 42, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of mail fraud
    conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
•   Jeffery D. Wiseman, 27, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of mail fraud
    conspiracy, one count of mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making
    false statements.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia, Jonathan Mellone, Acting
    Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General
    and Acting Special Agent in Charge is Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal
    Investigation made the announcement.

    The Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service –
    Criminal Investigation, the Norton Police Department, and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office are
    investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven
    guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
    Component(s):
    USAO - Virginia, Western


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