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PROVIDENCE MAN ADMITS TO FRAUDULENTLY SEEKING FEDERALLY FUNDED COVID UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence man today admitted in federal court that he submitted fraudulent online applications seeking pandemic related unemployment benefits from eight states while collecting benefits from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Vallah Brown, 30, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, admitting that he filed fraudulent online applications seeking Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funded unemployment benefits from Massachusetts, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, California, Texas, New York, and Louisiana. Brown claimed on each state’s benefit application that he was a resident of that state, was unemployed, and was entitled to benefits in that state.
An investigation determined that Brown fraudulently collected $48,902 dollars in FFCRA and CARES Act funding from those eight states.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on April 22, 2022.
Wire fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years in federal prison and three years federal supervised release.
Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at financialcrimes@risp.gov or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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