PITTSBURGH, PA – A brazen scheme to siphon off Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits from behind bars has been exposed, with 33 individuals now facing federal and state charges. The operation, orchestrated from within eight state and county jails and prisons across Western Pennsylvania, allegedly involved inmates filing fraudulent claims and receiving payouts they were never entitled to.
The scope of the fraud is staggering, officials say. United States Attorney Scott W. Brady minced no words, calling the scheme “appalling” and a direct theft from those genuinely in need. “These benefits were intended to help Pennsylvania workers make it through a difficult time,” Brady stated. “These inmates and their accomplices took advantage of this national emergency to line their pockets through fraud.” Brady issued a stark warning: submit a fraudulent application, withdraw it. Receive a fraudulent check, return it. Fail to comply, and expect a visit from law enforcement.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro echoed the sentiment, highlighting the callousness of the crime. “These defendants took advantage of a public health emergency to cash in on the backs of working people,” Shapiro said. “They rip-offed a program meant for everyday people whose lives were uprooted by COVID-19, some doing so from jail cells.” The investigation isn’t over, Shapiro promised, vowing to continue rooting out scammers exploiting the system.
Federal investigators are equally furious. Timothy Burke, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Pittsburgh Field Office, emphasized the broader implications of such fraud. “Defrauding U.S. government programs… is not simply a matter of theft,” Burke explained. “It undermines the security and wellbeing of our most vulnerable communities.” The Secret Service, alongside the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI, is committed to bringing all perpetrators to justice.
Among those named in 16 separate criminal complaints filed this week in the U.S. Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania is Levi Stroud, 24, currently incarcerated at Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution (SCI)-Greene since approximately January 22, 2018, and Christina Marie Weigner, of 389 Steubenville Pike, Burgettstown, PA 15021. They are charged with…[details of charges not provided in the source material].
FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman described the scheme as a calculated attempt to profit from a crisis. “At a time when people across the country are already struggling, this group capitalized on the hardships created by the pandemic,” Christman said. “We know there are more out there and we will not stop our investigation.” Investigators are urging anyone with information about similar fraudulent activity to come forward, promising a relentless pursuit of those who sought to exploit a system designed to help those in desperate need.
Related Federal Cases
- Christopher Furman, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Pittsburgh PA,… · Ohio
- Christopher Furman, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Pittsburgh PA,… · Ohio
- Bruce Choi, COVID-19 Relief Fraud, Los Angeles CA, 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Christopher Furman, Embezzled $1.3M, Pittsburgh PA, 2024-2025 · Pennsylvania
- Christopher Furman, Alleged Crypto Scam, Pittsburgh PA, 2024-2025 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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