Baltimore, Maryland – In a scathing blow to COVID-19 unemployment insurance fraud, Miami man David Godin, also known as ‘James St Patrick,’ ‘David Wetty,’ and ‘Vic Pro,’ was today sentenced by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox to 78 months in federal prison for his brazen $2.3 million scheme.
Godin, 34, pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, using stolen personal information, anonymous emails, VPNs, and proxy servers to file at least 140 fraudulent UI claims across multiple states.
The Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD) were the unsuspecting victims. Godin’s spoils included luxury goods, watches, and sports cars, all bought with ill-gotten gains from his sophisticated fraud.
The U.S. District Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, along with Special Agents from the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI, hailed the sentence as a victory against pandemic-related fraud. The case was part of the multi-agency District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force, dedicated to investigating large-scale fraud schemes.
Godin’s sentence includes a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared Murphy prosecuted the case, with Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber providing invaluable legal support.
For those seeking information about fraud allegations related to COVID-19, the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline (866-720-5721) is available for reporting. Learn more about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office at justice.gov/usao-md.
Related Federal Cases
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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