A Tallahassee, Florida man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use 17 victims’ identities to unlawfully submit fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits claims, totaling at least $385,000.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Joseph Holmes Jr., 22, conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD). During a traffic stop on September 18, 2020, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers discovered in the car and on Holmes and co-defendant Emelio Rochester: 17 EDD debit cards, all in different names; $89,710 in cash; five cellphones; three laptop computers; and a tablet.
At least $385,000 in unemployment benefits was approved for unemployment claims associated with the EDD debit cards, and at least $192,234 was withdrawn using the cards.
Holmes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon scheduled sentencing for December 9, 2021.
Holmes faces a total statutory maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Related Federal Cases
- Joseph Holmes Jr, Unemployment Benefits Fraud, Florida 2020 · New York
- Breon Dante Mims, Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud, Nevada 2023 · New York
- James Letitia, Social Security Benefits Theft, New York 2023 · Idaho
- Jason B. Scharf, Binary Options Fraud, Florida 2017 · New York
- Randy Xavier Jones, COVID-19 Fraud, Sarasota FL, 2022 · New York
Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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