Talfanita M. Cobb, Unemployment Insurance Scam, Illinois 2023

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A 51-year-old woman from East St. Louis has been sentenced to spend the next 44 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $800,000 in restitution for her involvement in an unemployment insurance scheme that victimized three state unemployment agencies.

Talfanita M. Cobb, 51, previously pled guilty to three counts of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Cobb conspired with other individuals to use multiple stolen identities to apply for unemployment insurance benefits in Arizona, Ohio, and Texas from at least September 2020 through January 2021. The fraudsters listed Cobb’s address in East St. Louis on the applications, and once the applications were approved, debit cards containing unemployment benefits were mailed to Cobb.

Cobb used various ATMs in Belleville, Fairview Heights, and O’Fallon, Illinois, to withdraw the funds from the debit cards. She then used Bitcoin to transfer most of the funds to her overseas co-conspirators. Cobb kept a percentage of the money for herself as her cut for assisting with the fraud.

The total amount of restitution Cobb was ordered to pay is $862,625. That restitution will be repaid to the following entities: $789,384 to the Arizona Department of Employment Security; $54,443 to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services; and $18,798 to the Texas Workforce Commission.

“In an effort to enrich herself and dupe unemployment benefits programs, the defendant stole hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for pandemic relief support,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Federal authorities and prosecutors are cracking down on unemployment insurance fraud, and the Southern District of Illinois is committed to protecting the integrity of government programs.”

Defendant/Respondent: Talfanita M. Cobb

Criminal Charges: Three counts of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft

City and State: East St. Louis, Illinois

Date: Not specified (sentencing occurred on an unspecified date)

Sentence or Outcome: 44 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $862,625 in restitution

Dollar Amounts: $862,625 (total restitution), $789,384 (Arizona Department of Employment Security), $54,443 (Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services), $18,798 (Texas Workforce Commission)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/east-st-louis-woman-sent-prison-44-months-and-ordered-pay-more-800000-restitution