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U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty in $7.1 Million Wire Fraud Scheme to Defraud Federal Pandemic Programs (USAO D-MN 12/13/2022) (2022-12-16)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota, dated December 13, 2022, announcing that Tequisha Solomon, 39, a Las Vegas woman, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. According to court documents as described, from June 2020 through January 2022 Solomon sought unemployment benefits from states including Minnesota, California and Illinois without a lawful basis, with California's EDD paying at least $37,000. The release states that Solomon also submitted over 200 false applications for UI benefits on behalf of others for a fee of as much as $2,000. In total, Solomon applied for $7,149,032 in pandemic-related funds and caused at least $4,708,191 to be paid out. No sentencing hearing had been scheduled.

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Cite this document

“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty in $7.1 Million Wire Fraud Scheme to Defraud Federal Pandemic Programs (USAO D-MN 12/13/2022) (2022-12-16).” Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-las-vegas-woman-pleads-guilty-in-7-1-milli-1282409484/, SHA-256 50edb85de88f0544435d09fbfc2e38f2a2a35079191e1acedc07ea9adeedc073.

Full text

                                      Department of Justice
                                        U.S. Attorney’s Office
                                        District of Minnesota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    Tuesday, December 13, 2022

 Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty in $7.1 Million Wire Fraud
      Scheme to Defraud Federal Pandemic Programs
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, announced
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, from June 2020 through January 2022, Tequisha Solomon, 39,
executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic assistance money from various states, including
Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and California’s
Employment Development Department (EDD).

As part of the fraud scheme, Solomon sought Unemployment benefits (UI) from states where she
had no lawful basis to receive them. For example, while Solomon resided in Minnesota and Nevada,
she falsely claimed to California’s EDD that she worked and resided in Los Angeles, California. As a
result, California’s EDD paid Solomon at least $37,000 in periodic UI payments between
approximately in 2020 and 2021, during which time she actually resided in Minnesota or Nevada.

Solomon also unlawfully sought to obtain UI benefits from multiple states simultaneously. For
instance, in October 2020, Solomon fraudulently claimed UI benefits from the Illinois Department of
Employment Security when she was actually residing in Minnesota and was already fraudulently
receiving UI benefits from California’s EDD. In March 2021, Solomon fraudulently applied for UI
from Minnesota’s DEED, and concealed her fraudulent receipt of UI benefits from California and
Illinois.

In addition to fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related benefits for herself, Solomon also assisted
others to obtain pandemic-related funds in exchange for a fee, as much as $2,000. Solomon
submitted over 200 false and fraudulent applications for UI benefits on behalf of others.

In total, Solomon fraudulently applied for $7,149,032 in pandemic-related funds and caused the
United States and multiple state agencies to pay out at least $4,708,191 in the form of fraudulent UI
benefits and small business loan proceeds.

Solomon pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C.
Tostrud. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled yet.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor-Office
of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the St. Paul Police
Department and the California Employment Development Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Topic(s):                                              Component(s):
Coronavirus                                            USAO - Minnesota
Financial Fraud

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www.oig.dol.gov
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