LEICESTER, MA – A 26-year-old Leicester man is cooling his heels in federal custody after a multi-state investigation revealed a brazen scheme to steal unemployment benefits. William Cordor was arrested Friday, March 5, 2021, and charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, stemming from a fraudulent claim filed with the State of Nevada.
The bust originated last August when local police encountered Cordor during a domestic violence incident. Cops discovered a stash of twenty-one prepaid debit cards, each bearing the name of a different individual. This seemingly random collection quickly became the key to unraveling a sophisticated fraud operation. Investigators traced one of the identities on the cards to a claim filed with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (NV DETR) on July 17, 2020. The claim, filed electronically, used the victim’s name and Social Security number and listed a prepaid debit card – unsurprisingly, one found in Cordor’s possession – as the payment destination.
Nevada authorities flagged the claim as fraudulent before any funds were disbursed, but that didn’t stop Cordor. Federal agents also discovered documents belonging to the victim during a search of Cordor’s Leicester residence, further cementing the connection. What’s more disturbing? This wasn’t an isolated incident. In May 2020, Cordor admitted to federal agents that he’d already fraudulently collected unemployment benefits from Massachusetts – a cool $79,600. He surrendered the funds at the time, but apparently, the lesson didn’t stick.
According to charging documents, Cordor’s address was conveniently listed as the mailing address for the prepaid debit card intended to receive the Nevada unemployment benefits. This blatant disregard for the law highlights the audacity of the scheme. The U.S. Secret Service, along with the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, led the investigation, collaborating with local police departments in Leicester and Marlboro.
If convicted on the wire fraud charge, Cordor faces up to 20 years behind bars, three years of supervised release, and a hefty $250,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence, meaning a lengthy stint in federal prison is almost guaranteed if prosecutors can prove their case. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 11, 2021, where a judge will determine whether Cordor remains jailed pending trial.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell vowed to pursue these cases aggressively. “This type of fraud not only steals valuable resources from those who legitimately need them but also undermines the integrity of the unemployment system,” he stated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy is handling the prosecution. Remember, these are allegations, and Cordor is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. But the evidence, so far, paints a grim picture of a calculated and callous scheme.”
Related Federal Cases
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- Diana Nguyen, Mail Fraud Scheme, Florida 2024 · Texas
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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