Eight Brooklyn residents were charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud in connection with a multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, federal authorities announced.
The scheme, which was allegedly carried out between June 2020 and April 2021, resulted in approximately $2 million in unemployment benefits being distributed to the defendants and others, officials said.
According to the complaint, Bryan Abraham, Bryan is one of the defendants, along with Carlos Vazquez, Angel Cabrera, Armani Miller, Johan Santos, Gianni Stewart, Andre Ruddock and Seth Golding, submitted fraudulent claims to the New York State Department of Labor for unemployment insurance benefits funded, in whole or in part, by COVID-19 pandemic assistance programs.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendants used the personal identifying information of third-party victims to fraudulently receive unemployment insurance benefits. The defendants’ scheme allegedly resulted in approximately $2 million in unemployment benefits being distributed to the defendants and others.
Mark J. Lesko, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region (DOL-OIG), and Roberta Reardon, Commissioner, New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL), announced the arrests and charges.
The six defendants who were arrested this morning will make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes. Miller and Santos remain at large.
“As alleged, the defendants not only fraudulently obtained $2 million in pandemic-related unemployment benefits using information from third-party victims, they audaciously displayed the proceeds of their fraud – large amounts of stolen cash – on social media,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lesko. “This Office will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law against defendants who would pocket public funds that are intended to alleviate the hardship of others.”
“Unfortunately, as the government rolled out various CARES Act programs, fraudsters were ‘At the Ready’ to take full advantage of these programs through a variety of fraud schemes, ripping off the American public of millions in taxpayer dollars, and clogging the system for those who honestly are in need. These arrests are an example of the commitment of law enforcement to bring those to justice for scamming the system” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Defendant: Bryan Abraham, Carlos Vazquez, Angel Cabrera, Armani Miller, Johan Santos, Gianni Stewart, Andre Ruddock, Seth Golding
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud
City and State: Brooklyn, New York
Date: April 2021 (alleged crime date)
Sentence or Outcome: Currently pending
Dollar Amounts: Approximately $2 million in unemployment benefits
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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