A Brooklyn federal court just slammed the book on a brazen ID theft ring that preyed on New York’s most vulnerable population – the homeless. Marc Lazarre, a 40-year-old Secaucus, New Jersey resident, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme to steal the identities of homeless individuals and use them to fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits.
According to the Department of Justice, Lazarre and his co-conspirator, Olabanji Otufale, a former fraud investigator with the New York City Department of Homeless Services, hatched the plan in the fall of 2020. Otufale, 42, of Brooklyn, used his access to a Department of Homeless Services database to steal the personal identifying information of vulnerable victims who had given that information to the department when they applied for social services.
Lazarre then applied online for unemployment benefits in the names of the homeless victims, using their stolen identities without their knowledge or consent. The scheme was a textbook case of exploiting a position of power for personal gain, and the authorities were determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The defendant exploited his relationship with a corrupt city employee to access vulnerable homeless victims’ personal identifying information in an attempt to defraud a state agency,” said United States Attorney Joseph Nocella. “Exploiting positions of power for personal financial gain – or conspiring with public employees who abuse their positions of public trust – will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.”
“With the assistance of a corrupt city employee, Marc Lazarre misused restricted information to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits using stolen identities of homeless individuals,” added FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “This conspiracy not only violated and exploited a vulnerable population’s privacy, but also deprived these victims of vital financial benefits.”
The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York worked hand-in-hand to bring down the operation, with Assistant United States Attorneys Sara K. Winik, Laura Zuckerwise, and Katherine P. Onyshko handling the prosecution. The government’s case against Lazarre and Otufale is a stark reminder that those who abuse their positions of power will face severe consequences.
Olabanji Otufale, Lazarre’s co-conspirator, was previously sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment for his role in the scheme. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting public funds and holding accountable those who drain critical resources intended for New York’s most vulnerable citizens.
In a statement, DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “This defendant participated in a fraudulent scheme to unlawfully obtain the personal information of homeless New Yorkers and steal public benefits to which he was not entitled. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their continued partnership in protecting public funds and holding accountable those who drain critical resources intended for New York’s most vulnerable.”
Lazarre’s 30-month sentence is a testament to the authorities’ determination to root out corruption and protect the city’s most vulnerable populations. As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: those who prey on the homeless will face the full force of the law.
The case against Lazarre is a stark reminder that no one is above the law, and those who abuse their positions of power will face severe consequences. The authorities will continue to work tirelessly to protect public funds and hold accountable those who drain critical resources intended for New York’s most vulnerable citizens.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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