DETROIT – A Southfield woman is facing the music after admitting to a brazen scheme to steal over $366,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits. Mykia King, 29, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, charges stemming from a calculated effort to exploit the COVID-19 crisis for personal gain.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed that King submitted a staggering 34 fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). She didn’t just file under her own name; King pilfered the identities of others, using stolen personal information to create fake applications. The scheme involved doctored identification documents, including driver’s licenses and social security cards, submitted repeatedly with altered names and addresses.
Federal investigators detailed one particularly egregious case involving a victim identified only as T.R. King filed a claim in T.R.’s name on June 5, 2020, using their social security number without authorization. She uploaded a fabricated Michigan driver’s license bearing T.R.’s name to bypass identity verification. Within weeks, over $11,880 in fraudulently obtained benefits were withdrawn from ATMs across the Detroit Metro area. This single instance led directly to the aggravated identity theft charge.
“Enhanced benefits for unemployed workers were a key lifeline for many of our district’s citizens during the pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “Unfortunately, those enhanced benefits attracted criminals seeking to exploit the system and enrich themselves at the public’s expense. My office has no tolerance for this abuse of a public program, and today’s plea is a reflection of my office’s commitment to vigorous prosecution of these cases.”
Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Chicago Region, emphasized the scale of the fraud. “Mykia King submitted numerous fraudulent claims… obtaining more than $366,000 in funds intended for individuals who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the UI system from those who exploit these benefit programs.”
The U.S. Secret Service, through Special Agent in Charge John Marengo’s Detroit Field Office, played a critical role in the investigation. Marengo affirmed the agency’s dedication to protecting public funds. While sentencing guidelines haven’t been released, both wire fraud and aggravated identity theft carry significant penalties, suggesting King will face a substantial prison term for her calculated betrayal of a system designed to help those in need. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities warning that others involved in similar schemes will be pursued relentlessly.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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