Identity thieves struck in Michigan, victimizing over 100 individuals and swindling the state’s unemployment insurance agency out of $400,000.
A jury convicted Kenneth Dixon, Nakita Washington, and Jamela Washington, all from Warren, Michigan, following a five-day trial in Ann Arbor.
The defendants were charged with use of counterfeit access devices, aggravated identity theft, theft of government money, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. They face a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison.
The scheme, which ran from October 2009 to April 2012, involved the defendants obtaining personal identification information from unsuspecting victims and using it to submit fake online claims for unemployment benefits.
Special Agent in Charge James Vanderberg, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, hailed the convictions as a major victory in the fight against identity theft and unemployment insurance fraud.
The case was investigated by special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Barrington Wilkins prosecuted the case.
Sentencing for the trio has been set for September 19, 2017.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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