Melinda Sue Hernandez, Wire Fraud and Identity Theft, Florida 2021

Tampa, FL – In a shocking case of pandemic-era financial exploitation, Melinda Sue Hernandez, a 33-year-old Ruskin resident, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to the plea agreement, Hernandez and her co-defendant, Aloysius Moodie, Jr., obtained personal identifying information of others and used that information to submit false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to various state workforce agencies.

The claims, which were made between June 2020 and April 2021, resulted in the transfer of over $1.5 million to bank accounts and debit cards issued in the names of other persons.

Hernandez and Moodie then used the fraudulently obtained debit cards to withdraw money from ATMs. Law enforcement calculated the total intended loss caused by the fraudulent UI claims at more than $1.5 million, but less than $3.5 million.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Pizzo.

The plea agreement also notes that Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, as well as a consecutive two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count.

Hernandez’s co-defendant, Aloysius Moodie, Jr., was indicted on March 29, 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in unemployment benefits claims, and the government took steps to expand eligibility and provide relief to those affected. However, this case highlights the vulnerabilities in the system and the need for increased vigilance to prevent such scams.

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