Louis Paiva, Theft of Public Money, Florida 2023

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Louis Paiva, Jr., 29, of Dearborn, Michigan (formerly of Orlando, Florida), was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money.

The investigation, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) COVID Fraud Unit, revealed that between March 15, 2020, and March 8, 2021, a total of $16,435.00 in Unemployment Insurance (UI) assistance, including COVID-19 pandemic relief benefits, was deposited into a bank account used by Paiva. During this timeframe, Paiva worked as a Transportation Security Officer for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida.

Records obtained from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FL-DEO), which administered the UI program in Florida, revealed that Paiva submitted approximately 24 applications and recertifications to FL-DEO in which he falsely stated that he was not a federal civilian employee, or that he did not work or earn money during the applicable timeframes.

“Federal employees are entrusted to protect the integrity of our programs,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who betray that trust will be held accountable for their actions.”

The Court also ordered Paiva to pay $16,435.00 in restitution to the FL-DEO. Paiva’s prison sentence will be followed by 2 years’ supervised release.

The conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an expansion of states’ ability to provide Unemployment Insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including those who were not ordinarily eligible for benefits.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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