U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Californian Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Collecting $100,000 in Unemployment Benefits During COVID-19 (USAO D-UT 06/25/2024) (2024-06-28)

Summary

Press release PR24-73 from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, dated June 25, 2024, announcing that Robert James Waff of Sacramento, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell to a year and a half imprisonment and three years' supervised release, and ordered to pay $114,066 in restitution. It states that Waff pleaded guilty in March 2024 to aiding and abetting wire fraud in a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department from June 2020 to September 2020. According to the release, Waff's own claim brought over $36,000 in fraudulent payments, and by helping three coconspirators file similar claims the actual loss exceeded $100,000.

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Full text

PRESS RELEASE



Californian Sentenced to 18
Months’ Imprisonment for
Unlawfully Collecting $100,000 in
Unemployment Benefits During
COVID-19
Tuesday, June 25, 2024

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

Salt Lake City, Utah – Robert James Waff, 50, of Sacramento, California, was sentenced
today to a year and a half imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and ordered by
the court to pay $114,066 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court
Judge Tena Campbell, comes after Waff admitted to devising a scheme to defraud the
California Employment Development Department by unlawfully collecting
unemployment benefits during COVID-19.

According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing,
Waff pleaded guilty in March 2024 to aiding and abetting wire fraud.

From June 2020 to September 2020, Waff devised and attempted to execute a scheme
to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by applying for
unemployment benefits that were funded by the CARES Act in response to the COVID-
19 pandemic. Additionally, Waff assisted three coconspirators in committing the same
acts for a share of their unemployment insurance funds. For example, on one occasion
Waff submitted an online application for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through
the (EDD) website, while he was a resident of Clearfield, Utah. Waff listed his residence
and mailing address as Fair Oaks, CA. Waff also claimed he had lost employment due to
COVID-19 and that before losing employment his annual income was $44,000, and that
he planned to return to work for his previous employer. Waff’s fraudulent California EDD
application and continued renewal of his California EDD benefits resulted in Waff
receiving over $36,000 in fraudulent payments.
In total, by helping others commit the same fraudulent filings, the actual loss resulting
from fraudulent UI benefit claims exceeded $100,000.

“Mr. Waff stole money intended for citizens who were honestly unemployed and hurting
during COVID-19,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah.
“His repeated behavior in aiding others to commit the same crime took more money
away from people who needed help during the pandemic. My office will prosecute
people who defraud the government and taxpayers.”

“Mr. Waff tried to cash in on the Covid-19 pandemic and stole money from those who
legitimately needed it,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City
FBI. “The pandemic may be over, but the FBI will continue to investigate those who
willfully defraud federal government programs for personal gain.”

“Robert Waff stole from our nation’s unemployment insurance (UI) system by
fraudulently filing for UI benefits in his name and the names of others who were not
entitled to such benefits. He took advantage of the UI system at a time when so many
deserving American workers were suffering from pandemic-related economic
challenges. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General remains
committed to combatting UI fraud. Our efforts to hold individuals accountable for their
fraudulent schemes will continue. I would like to acknowledge the outstanding
investigative work of the Salt Lake City FBI, the California Employment Development
Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s
Office for the District of Utah in this collaborative investigative effort,” said Quentin
Heiden, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of
Inspector General.

The case is was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Division and the U.S.
Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Assistant United States Attorney Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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
(NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form
at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Contact
Felicia Martinez
Public Affairs Specialist
Felicia.martinez@usdoj.gov
(801) 325-3237
USAO-UT | Facebook | X | YouTube| Linkedin|

Updated June 25, 2024

Topics
CORONAVIRUS

SECURITIES, COMMODITIES, & INVESTMENT FRAUD
Components
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
USAO - Utah
Press Release Number: PR24-73


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