U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Seven Individuals Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits (USAO ND-OH 08/26/2021) (2021-08-27)
Summary
A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio, dated August 26, 2021, announcing that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging seven Cleveland area individuals with Mail Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud. The individuals named are Lawrence Lawson, Cierra Clifton, Emanuel Smith, Terrance Jones, Quantez Lawson, Charles Moore and Mark Dailey. According to the indictment, from on or about May 17, 2020, through on or about November 13, 2020, the defendants conspired to submit fraudulent applications for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits and received debit cards in the mail pre-loaded with the benefits. The release states that the benefits fraudulently paid out totaled over $290,000.
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“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Seven Individuals Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits (USAO ND-OH 08/26/2021) (2021-08-27).”
Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-seven-individuals-indicted-for-fraudulentl-e70ef721b5/
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BRIDGET M. BRENNAN
ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2021
Thomas Weldon
Thomas.Weldon@usdoj.gov
(216) 622-3651
Seven Individuals Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic
Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Cleveland, Ohio – Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced today that a federal grand
jury sitting in the Northern District of Ohio returned an indictment charging seven Cleveland area
individuals for their roles in unlawful obtaining Coronavirus pandemic unemployment insurance
benefits.
According to court documents, the following individuals have been indicted on charges of Mail
Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud: Lawrence Lawson, 41,
Cleveland, Ohio; Cierra Clifton, 38, Willowick, Ohio; Emanuel Smith, 49, Cleveland, Ohio;
Terrance Jones, 27, Cleveland, Ohio; Quantez Lawson, 29, Cleveland, Ohio; Charles Moore, 35,
Cleveland, Ohio; Mark Dailey, 54, Cleveland, Ohio.
According to the indictment, from on or about May 17, 2020, through on or about November 13,
2020, the charged individuals conspired to submit fraudulent unemployment applications to
obtain pandemic unemployment insurance benefits to which they were not entitled. The
applications were subsequently processed and the defendants received debit cards in the mail
pre-loaded with pandemic unemployment insurance benefits. The benefits fraudulently paid out
as a result of defendants’ scheme totaled over $290,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan stated, “This indictment represents the Department of
Justice’s commitment to prosecute those who are alleged to have fraudulently obtained
government benefits to which they were not entitled.”
Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of
Inspector General stated, "An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to
investigate allegations of unemployment insurance fraud. We will continue to work with our law
enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations."
“This indictment represents our continuing resolve to root out fraud and corruption in all forms,
and demand integrity of those entrusted to carry out government programs,” said HUD OIG
Special Agent in Charge Michael Powell. “It is our continuing core mission to work with our law
enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to protect our housing programs
and to take strong action against those who seek to illegally benefit from them.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith stated, "These individuals are believed to have engaged
in fraud in order to financially enrich themselves. Anytime fraud is committed using a
government funded program all tax paying citizens are victims. The FBI will continue to work
with our partners to ensure fraud is uncovered and dealt with in a court of law."
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair
trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors
unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role
in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence imposed will not
exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and
the U.S. Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General conducted the
investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan R. Miller and Erica D. Barnhill are
prosecuting the case.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of unemployment insurance fraud, please report the matter to
the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling (866) 720-5721 or visiting
www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
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