Jammy Alphonse, Pandemic Fraud, Massachusetts 2022

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced to 94 months in prison and four years of supervised release for pandemic-related fraud, identity theft, firearm, and drug offenses.

Jammy Alphonse, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin on September 15, 2022, after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to the investigation, Jammy Alphonse conspired to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, starting in May 2020. He submitted false PUA claims in other persons’ names and using their personally identifiable information, and the fraudulently obtained funds were directed into accounts held in Alphonse’s name or in the name of a co-conspirator.

Additionally, in February 2021, Alphonse submitted an application to rent a property in East Boston using the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of another person. As a result, Alphonse resided in that apartment from approximately February 2021 through August 6, 2021, when he was arrested on a federal firearms offense. A search of the apartment recovered a loaded Glock model 43X, 9-millimeter firearm, 47 rounds of ammunition, and approximately 75 grams or more of fentanyl, among other things.

Alphonse was previously arrested and charged in August 2021 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition following a shooting in Cambridge, Mass., in July 2021. Alphonse has remained in custody since that date.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Police Department, and the Cambridge Police Department.

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 https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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