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Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme
A Nachez, Mississippi man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a COVID-19 related unemployment insurance scam.
Kev’Veonta Short, 32, was charged with submitting false unemployment insurance claims while incarcerated at the South Mississippi Correctional Institute.
According to court documents, Short conspired with other inmates to submit fraudulent applications, with Short providing his personal details to another inmate to submit claims on his behalf. The scheme involved multiple other inmates, with Short’s co-conspirators submitting claims using his information.
Two of Short’s co-conspirators, Adrian Wilson and Aaron Sanders, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2026, while Sanders is set to be sentenced on June 11, 2026. Short is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026.
The maximum statutory term of imprisonment for Wilson, Sanders, and Short is 20 years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mississippi Office of the Public Auditor are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case. The guilty plea marks the latest development in a string of COVID-19 related unemployment insurance scams uncovered in recent years.
The case highlights the ongoing threat of COVID-19 related scams and the importance of vigilance in preventing such schemes from taking place.
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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