Over $1 million stolen from Unemployment Funds; Thibodaux resident arrested in connection
July 20, 2021
Since the public health emergency was declared, Louisiana has experienced massive unemployment with hundreds of businesses forced into closure and their employees out of work. Unfortunately, fraudsters seized upon the situation; and the Unemployment Trust Fund was an easy target.
Many press reports have highlighted the more than $400 million in Louisiana unemployment benefits being dispersed to individuals who did not qualify to receive them, the $6.2 million in benefits that went to prisoners in our State, and the $1.08 million in benefits paid to dead people.
In October, Attorney General Jeff Landry announced arrests his office made related to COVID-19 unemployment fraud. Today, he is announcing several more arrests of people accused of stealing over $1 million of government benefits.