Jesse Hazard, COVID-Relief Unemployment Benefits Fraud, Rhode Island 2022
A Providence man who filed fraudulent online COVID-relief unemployment insurance claims in five states pleaded guilty today in federal court to a charge of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
Jesse Hazard, 31, who worked only in Massachusetts, submitted an online application seeking expanded pandemic unemployment benefits from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance in May 2020. Despite receiving these benefits from Massachusetts, between June 17, 2020, and September 12, 2020, Hazard filed similar online benefit applications with unemployment agencies in five other states: Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, and Nebraska. In his applications, Hazard falsely claimed that he worked in, or was a resident of, each of those states.
Hazard received $12,876 in funds from California; his claims to Arizona, Nevada, Nebraska, and Colorado were denied. The total loss, both actual and intended, amounts to $48,152.
Hazard is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2022. The defendant's sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case, as well as other instances of criminal activity related to fraudulent applications for pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits, are being investigated jointly by the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Cases are jointly reviewed, charged, and prosecuted by a team of prosecutors that include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton, Stacey P. Veroni, and G. Michael Seaman, and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General's Public Integrity Unit.
United States Attorney Cunha and Attorney General Neronha thank the United States Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at financialcrimes@risp.gov or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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