PITTSBURGH, PA – A Pittsburgh man found a way to game the system even from behind bars. Amasa Camp, 24, pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, attempting to siphon off pandemic unemployment assistance benefits despite already serving time at State Correctional Institution Fayette. Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced the guilty plea, adding another name to the growing list of those who exploited the COVID-19 crisis for personal gain.
According to court documents, Camp, already ineligible for benefits due to his incarceration and inability to work, concocted a scheme to file a fraudulent claim. The intended payout? To be mailed to an address in Philadelphia. The audacity of the attempt – filing for unemployment while actively serving a sentence – speaks to the brazenness of the fraud wave that swept the nation during the pandemic.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, however, wasn’t fooled. Their fraud detection systems flagged Camp’s application as bogus, preventing any funds from being disbursed. This quick intervention by state officials prevented a further drain on already strained unemployment resources, resources intended for those genuinely impacted by the pandemic’s economic fallout. The Secret Service took over the investigation after the state flagged the claim.
Judge Nora Barry Fischer has scheduled Camp’s sentencing for November 9, 2021. He faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a hefty $250,000 fine, or both. The actual sentence will be determined by federal sentencing guidelines, taking into account the severity of the crime and Camp’s existing criminal record – whatever that may be. It’s a cruel irony: an inmate attempting to commit fraud while already serving time.
Following the guilty plea, Judge Fischer remanded Camp back into state custody to continue serving his current sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is leading the prosecution, ensuring accountability for this attempt to defraud the system. This case highlights the Secret Service’s continued commitment to investigating fraud, even within correctional facilities.
The U.S. Secret Service investigation uncovered the details of this scheme, demonstrating their expanded role beyond presidential protection to encompass financial crime. While the amount of money potentially defrauded was ultimately zero, the attempted theft underscores the widespread vulnerability of pandemic unemployment systems and the lengths to which some will go to exploit them. This case serves as a warning: even behind bars, criminals will attempt to profit from chaos.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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