Greensville Inmates Bilked $220K in Pandemic Funds

NORFOLK, VA – Two inmates at Greensville Correctional Center are facing hard time after admitting to a brazen scheme to steal over $220,000 in federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Mark Hilliard, 36, and Elvon George, 33, didn’t just sit out the pandemic; they actively exploited it, preying on a system designed to help those genuinely in need.

According to federal prosecutors, between June 2020 and March 2021, Hilliard and George collected the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of fellow inmates. They weren’t after wallets or shanks; they were after social security numbers and other data points needed to file fraudulent unemployment claims. The pair then allegedly passed this stolen information to outside accomplices who filed the claims with the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).

The VEC, overwhelmed by a surge in applications due to expanded eligibility rules implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, became a prime target. Congress and the VEC broadened benefits to include gig workers and the self-employed, loosening verification standards in a desperate attempt to provide relief. Hilliard and George saw an opportunity, and they ruthlessly exploited it, filing numerous false applications based on stolen inmate data.

Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with major disaster benefits. Hilliard is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 2022, while George faces sentencing on March 31, 2022. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison. While the maximum is set, the actual sentence will be determined by Judge Roderick C. Young, taking into account sentencing guidelines and other factors.

“This case demonstrates a calculated and callous disregard for the law and for those who legitimately needed assistance during a time of crisis,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jessica D. Aber, in a statement. The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing. Court documents related to Case No. 2:21-cr-111 are available on PACER and the websites of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.