U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Waterbury Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Theft of Pandemic Unemployment Benefits (USAO D-CT 01/10/2024) (2024-01-16)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut, dated January 10, 2024, announcing that Olajuwon Harrington, also known as "OJ Harrington," 31, of Waterbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams to 48 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for theft of pandemic unemployment benefits. According to court documents as described, the Connecticut Department of Labor awarded unemployment assistance on debit cards in the names of approximately 43 victims based on fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications, and over an approximately 20-month period Harrington obtained and used those cards. Judge Williams ordered restitution of $793,254. Harrington was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 30, 2022 and pleaded guilty to access device fraud on May 10, 2023.

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Full text

PRESS RELEASE



Waterbury Man Sentenced to 4
Years in Federal Prison for Theft
of Pandemic Unemployment
Benefits
Wednesday, January 10, 2024

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

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut,
announced that OLAJUWON HARRINGTON, also known as “OJ Harrington,” 31, of
Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to
48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for his theft of
pandemic unemployment benefits.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into
law. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program
for pandemic unemployment assistance (“Pandemic Unemployment
Assistance”). Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provided unemployment insurance
(“UI”) benefits for employed individuals who are not eligible for other types of UI due to
their employment status. The CARES Act also created a new temporary federal program
called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (“FPUC”) that provided
additional weekly benefits to those eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or
regular UI. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) administers UI benefits for
residents of Connecticut.

Numerous fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which used
identifying information of real persons (“victims”) without their knowledge, were
submitted to CT-DOL. Relying on the applications, CT-DOL awarded unemployment
assistance in the form of debit cards in the names of approximately 43 victims and
mailed the debit cards to addresses provided in the applications. Over an approximately
20-month period, Harrington obtained those debit cards issued in victims’ names and
unlawfully used the cards for his own benefit.

Judge Williams ordered Harrington to pay restitution of $793,254.

Harrington was arrested on a criminal complaint on November 30, 2022. On May 10,
2023, he pleaded guilty to access device fraud.

This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector
General; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; the
U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector
General; and the Connecticut Department of Labor. The case was prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19
are encouraged to 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.

Updated January 10, 2024

Topics
CORONAVIRUS

DISASTER FRAUD

FINANCIAL FRAUD

IDENTITY THEFT


Component
USAO - Connecticut


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