Baltimore, Maryland – In a brazen scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD), David Godin, 34, of Miami, Florida, aka ‘James St Patrick,’ ‘David Wetty,’ and ‘Vic Pro,’ has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Godin pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to defraud multiple state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in unemployment insurance benefits. The scheme, which spanned from June 2020 through November 2023, involved the use of personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers.
According to the plea agreement, Godin submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies. He obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme and used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
David Godin, 34, of Miami, Florida, aka ‘James St Patrick,’ ‘David Wetty,’ and ‘Vic Pro,’ was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
He pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to defraud multiple state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in unemployment insurance benefits.
The scheme, which spanned from June 2020 through November 2023, involved the use of personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56.
Godin obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme and used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury.
He submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies.
David Godin, a 34-year-old man from Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor and California Employment Development Department.
He pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to defraud multiple state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in unemployment insurance benefits.
The scheme, which spanned from June 2020 through November 2023, involved the use of personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56.
Godin obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme and used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury.
Related Federal Cases
- David Godin, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2023 · Maryland
- Nicolae Gindac, Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud, Maryland 2021 · New York
- David Godin, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2023 · California
- David Godin, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2023 · California
- David Annor, Money Laundering, Maryland 2020 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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