Baltimore Woman’s Unemployment Benefits Scam Unfolds
A federal grand jury in Maryland has returned an indictment charging a Miami woman with 16 federal charges related to an unemployment insurance benefits fraud scheme.
Tamika Nicole Jones, 33, of Miami, Florida, is accused of defrauding state workforce agencies, including the Maryland Department of Labor, by impersonating victim individuals and submitting fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits.
According to the indictment, from May 2020 to June 2021, Jones used victims’ personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, and/or Social Security Number, to submit applications for UI benefits.
The indictment charges Jones with eight counts of wire fraud, seven counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of mail fraud. If convicted, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire and mail fraud. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence.
Jones was arrested in South Florida by Special Agents with the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). The indictment was unsealed following her arrest. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, DOL-OIG.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland are investigating this case as part of the District of Maryland Strike Force, which focuses on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.
The CARES Act, which provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, was designed to combat such schemes. The public can report allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5976.
Tamika Nicole Jones is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
Related Federal Cases
- David Godin, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2023 · California
- David Godin, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Maryland 2023 · California
- Tamika Nicole Jones, Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud, Maryland 2020 · Florida
- Damond Alford, Trafficking in Unauthorized Access Devices and Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2020 · Georgia
- Christopher Andre Devine, Bank Fraud and Identity Theft, Maryland 2024 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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