Greenbelt, Maryland — In a stunning admission of guilt, Zakria Hussain, 28, from Prince George’s County, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from his alleged role in a scheme that defrauded the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and individuals out of over $3.5 million.
Hussain, along with co-conspirators, submitted false unemployment insurance (UI) claims to the Maryland Department of Labor starting in March 2021 and ending around August 2022. The fraudulent activities resulted in personal losses exceeding $550,000 for Hussain, who used debit cards issued in victims’ names to siphon off UI funds.
According to the plea agreement, Hussain’s co-conspirators included Bryan Nushawn Ruffin and Kiara Smith, both employed by Company 1, which provided services to the MD-DOL. They were accused of accessing non-public UI data using computers issued by their employer to change information on existing UI claims and approve fraudulent documents.
Hussain faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and an additional two years for aggravated identity theft. His co-defendants, including Ruffin, Smith, Ahmed Hussain, Lawrence Nathanial Harris, and Terry Chen, are awaiting sentencing or trial.
Actual sentences for federal crimes often fall short of the maximum penalties. Zakria Hussain’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 19 at 10 a.m.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force has been instrumental in investigating and prosecuting fraud related to the CARES Act, including the scheme orchestrated by Hussain. The strike force was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat COVID-19-related financial crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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