Brooke Stewart, Using Prison Inmates in Covid Fraud Scheme, Missouri 2021

A St. Joseph woman has been accused of using the stolen identities of prison inmates to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Brooke Stewart, 38, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of stealing government property. By doing so, she admitted to facilitating the filing of false claims for unemployment benefits using the stolen identity information of five individuals who were incarcerated in state or federal prison.

Among those individuals whose identity information was stolen were federal defendants Garland Nelson and Brooke Beckley. Nelson is serving a 32-year federal prison sentence for a cattle fraud scheme that led to two murders in Braymer, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm, as well as two life sentences in a separate state case for the murders. Beckley is serving a 40-year prison sentence for her role in the murder of a Mexican national who was executed to help her avoid paying a debt owed in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in the Springfield, Mo., area.

Stewart also fraudulently received federal unemployment benefits in her own name and another person’s name. As a result of her fraud scheme, she stole at least $139,663 in benefits under the CARES Act, which provided additional federal pandemic unemployment compensation to eligible individuals receiving other unemployment benefits under state laws.

According to federal statutes, Stewart is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.

The case is a stark reminder of the continued threat of COVID-19-related scams and the importance of protecting sensitive information. As the nation continues to recover from the pandemic, it is essential that individuals remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

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