Nhan Hoang Pham, COVID-19 Unemployment Benefit Scam, California 2023

Related Federal Cases

Christopher Furman, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Pittsburgh PA,… · Ohio
McKenzie Marie Earley, $10M Wire Fraud, C.D. California, 2023 · Louisiana
Consuelo “Connie” Puente, Wire Fraud, CA, 2023 · Maryland
Steven Alexander Bolden, $7.2M School Computer Wire Fraud, Palmdale… · Washington
Bruce Choi, COVID-19 Relief Fraud, Los Angeles CA, 2023 · Alabama

Table of Contents

Nhan Hoang Pham Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Unemployment Benefit Scam

Santa Ana, CA – In a brazen scheme, Nhan Hoang Pham, a 36-year-old resident of Santa Ana, has pleaded guilty to using stolen identities to apply for over $1.2 million in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment insurance benefits, receiving over $400,000 in the process.

According to court documents, Pham acquired the personal identifying information (PII) of 24 victims, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, without their permission or authorization.

Pham then created and submitted fraudulent online applications to the California Employment Development Department, claiming that the victims received mail at Anaheim addresses that he controlled.

The California Employment Development Department transmitted the claimant information to Bank of America, which caused the issuance and mailing of debit cards to the addresses controlled by Pham.

Pham then used the debit cards to withdraw money at ATMs throughout Orange County, ultimately receiving approximately $408,496 in benefits.

Pham’s scheme was uncovered by a joint investigation involving the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, and the Santa Ana Police Department.

Nhan Hoang Pham is scheduled to face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison on May 22.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. Lim of the Santa Ana Branch Office.