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U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Bristol, Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty as Part of Ongoing Prosecution of CARES Act Fraudsters (USAO WD-VA 05/05/2021) (2021-05-12)

Summary

A May 5, 2021 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia announcing that Melissa Hayes, of Bristol, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. According to court documents, Hayes conspired with others to file pandemic unemployment claims through the Virginia Employment Commission website for individuals who were not eligible, including inmates in southwest Virginia regional jails. The release states the conspiracy filed fraudulent claims for approximately 37 individuals, causing at least $499,000 in false claims to be paid, and that losses on claims in which Hayes was directly involved exceed $70,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 26, 2021.

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Cite this document

“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Bristol, Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty as Part of Ongoing Prosecution of CARES Act Fraudsters (USAO WD-VA 05/05/2021) (2021-05-12).” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-bristol-tennessee-woman-pleads-guilty-as-p-d6cd6c57eb/, SHA-256 0206c66b5f629b8ade502f9bdbd675d661fce4a925faf02da0a0e973b9104172.

Full text

                                      Department of Justice

                                         U.S. Attorney’s Office

                                      Western District of Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   Wednesday, May 5, 2021



 Bristol, Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty as Part of Ongoing
            Prosecution of CARES Act Fraudsters
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Tennessee woman pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to defraud the
United States as part of the ongoing prosecution into dozens of individuals who fraudulently filed for
more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits and committed mail fraud.

According to court documents, Melissa Hayes, 51, conspired with others, including those previously
convicted as part of the ongoing prosecution, 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, those filing reverified 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.

The aggregate actual loss for all fraudulent claims in which Hayes was directly involved is more than
$70,000.

Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of
conspiracy to commit mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2021. A federal
district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and
other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar, 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 announced
the guilty plea today.

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.
Component(s):
USAO - Virginia, Western
                                                                                      Updated May 5, 2021

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