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Philly Police Dispatchers & Clerk Nabbed in Pandemic Fraud
PHILADELPHIA – Eight Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) employees are facing federal charges after allegedly stealing from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, a lifeline intended for those truly devastated by the COVID-19 economic fallout. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced the indictments today, detailing a brazen scheme to collect unemployment checks *while still collecting a paycheck from the city*.
Charged with one count of mail or wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds are: Shannon Reynolds, 25, of Philadelphia, PA; Najah Harrell, 32, of Philadelphia, PA; Korey Kinard, 29, of Philadelphia, PA; Keely Maude, 23, of Philadelphia, PA; Tashika White, 50, of Cheltenham, PA; Paulette Johnson, 55, of Philadelphia, PA; Monica Pelzer, 45, of Philadelphia, PA; and Yarelis Feliciano, 28, of Philadelphia, PA. Each defendant faces a separate indictment outlining the alleged fraudulent activity.
According to the indictments, seven of the eight – Reynolds, Harrell, Kinard, Maude, White, Pelzer, and Feliciano – are employed as radio dispatchers for the PPD. The eighth, Johnson, is a clerk. All allegedly submitted weekly certifications claiming unemployment, stating they were ready, willing, and able to work, despite actively holding their positions with the Philadelphia Police Department. They also allegedly failed to report their PPD wages, falsely claiming no income to secure the PUA benefits. The scheme allegedly allowed them to double-dip, collecting both a city salary *and* pandemic assistance funds.
“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds are intended to help Americans who are not working or who have experienced dramatically reduced working hours due to the pandemic, not people who are already gainfully employed,” stated U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. “Thieves who attempt to take these funds are taking advantage of others’ misfortune – ripping them off while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund the program. As alleged, these eight defendants fraudulently obtained funds that could have helped struggling individuals.” The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, created the PUA program, extending benefits to those normally ineligible for unemployment.
Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, didn’t mince words. “It should go without saying that, if you’re a) employed, and b) working for a law enforcement agency, applying for any sort of unemployment compensation is a really bad decision,” she said. “It’s particularly disappointing when people with steady paychecks coming in are taking money set aside for those most affected by the pandemic. The FBI will continue to hold accountable anyone defrauding the government and taxpayers like this.”
The investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. The brazen nature of this alleged fraud – committed by those sworn to uphold the law – is a stinging indictment of the pandemic’s corrosive effect on public trust and a reminder that even those in positions of authority aren’t immune to greed.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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