U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Buffalo Woman Arrested And Charged With Stealing Unemployment Benefits; Used Money To Pay For Plastic Surgery (USAO WD-NY 03/22/2021) (2021-04-02)

Summary

A March 22, 2021 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York announcing that Shaneesha White, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds, fraud associated with disaster relief, and wire fraud. According to the release, in October 2020 the New York State Department of Labor reported that a federal prisoner was receiving NYS unemployment insurance payments, and the IP address on that claim was linked to other claims, including White's. The complaint states that $48,833.15 was deposited onto Key Bank debit cards in the names of White and two others and that the benefits paid for expenses including a trip to Florida and cosmetic surgery. White was released on conditions after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr.

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“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Buffalo Woman Arrested And Charged With Stealing Unemployment Benefits; Used Money To Pay For Plastic Surgery (USAO WD-NY 03/22/2021) (2021-04-02).” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-buffalo-woman-arrested-and-charged-with-st-a89ddf0b9e/, SHA-256 36b55e35d096a206454df18ddecdec1259ab764edf71b1aa2b9fa4aaf30f34fc.

Full text

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 22, 2021

Buffalo Woman Arrested And Charged With Stealing
Unemployment Benefits; Used Money To Pay For Plastic
Surgery
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Shaneesha White,
25, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with theft of government funds,
fraud associated with disaster relief, and wire fraud. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30
years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2020,
the U.S. Department of Labor received information from the New York State Department of Labor
that a federal prisoner was illegally receiving NYS unemployment insurance benefit payments.
Subsequent investigation determined that the IP address associated with the unemployment claim
was also associated with multiple other claims, including the defendant Shaneesha White. According
to the complaint, a total of $48,833.15 was deposited onto Key Bank debit cards controlled by the
defendant. The debit cards were in the name of White, and two others. The complaint further states
that the defendant used the unemployment benefits to pay for various expenses including a trip to
Florida, cosmetic surgery, footwear, and cosmetics.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial
assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-
19 pandemic. It expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers
impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for benefits. The
CARES Act provided for three new UI programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA);
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC); and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment
Compensation (PEUC).

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

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth
Schroeder, Jr. and was released on conditions.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, under the direction of Michael C.
Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Region; the Department of Homeland Security,
Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Todd Dennis; and the
Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-
Charge John F. Grasso.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is
presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Topic(s): Component(s):
Coronavirus USAO - New York, Western

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File: 2021-04-02-Buffalo-Woman-Arrested-And-Charged-With-Stealing-Unemployment-Benefits-Used-Money-To-Pay-For-Plasti.pdf
Size: 268,150 bytes
SHA-256: 36b55e35d096a206454df18ddecdec1259ab764edf71b1aa2b9fa4aaf30f34fc
Our copy: 2021-04-02-Buffalo-Woman-Arrested-And-Charged-With-Stealing-Unemployment-Benefits-Used-Money-To-Pay-For-Plasti.pdf
Original: www.oig.dol.gov