Taquan Parker, Unemployment Insurance Fraud, New York 2024

A Rensselaer man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison for his role in a scheme to obtain over $60,000 in unemployment insurance benefits under the names of two other people, including benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taquan Parker, 26, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany, New York, on charges of conspiracy and mail fraud. Parker admitted to providing the personal identifying information of two other people, which was used to file false claims online with the New York State Department of Labor.

According to the investigation, Parker’s actions resulted in the NYSDOL paying out $60,132 in unemployment insurance benefits. Parker was also ordered to pay $60,132 in restitution to the State of New York.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Inspector General’s Office, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations and the Schenectady County Department of Social Services.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case.

Taquan Parker, also known as the defendant in this case, is 26 years old and from Rensselaer, New York. He was charged with conspiracy and mail fraud charges.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. If you have information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you 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.

Taquan Parker will serve 13 months in prison and receive a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after he is released from prison. He must also pay $60,132 in restitution to the State of New York.

Related Federal Cases