Over $400,000 allegedly lost to two EDD fraud schemes involving COVID-19 unemployment benefits
Fraud charges were brought against two Chowchilla prison inmates, while a Roseville woman was arrested after using the identity of a sitting U.S. Senator for PUA. Author: Samantha Solomon (ABC10) Updated: 4:47 PM PST December 17, 2020
CALIFORNIA, USA Hundreds of thousands of dollars were taken in COVID-19 unemployment benefits from California s Employment Development Department (EDD) by two separate schemes, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced on Thursday.
Charges were brought against prison inmates at Central California Women s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, Calif. for one scheme, while a Roseville woman was arrested and released on bond for another alleged fraud scheme.
Former California EDD worker faked being Dianne Feinstein in scamming jobless benefits, sources say [Los Angeles Times]
Federal authorities have filed charges in two newly uncovered conspiracies to cheat California’s pandemic unemployment benefits system, including one by a former Employment Development Department employee who was able to scam more than $200,000, including one claim that used the name of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Authorities Thursday said that former EDD employee Andrea M. Gervais allegedly participated in a mail fraud conspiracy in which she filed more than 100 false pandemic unemployment assistance claims using stolen personal information, including a successful effort paid in the name of Feinstein for $21,000.
By Adam Beam •
Updated on December 18, 2020 at 1:06 pm
Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Among the more than $110 billion in unemployment benefits California has paid this year to people who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus, $21,000 went to an address in Roseville under the name and Social Security number of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
The Bank of America, which contracts with the state to provide benefits to people on debit cards, flagged the claim for possible fraud. Federal investigators later found at least $2 million worth of fraudulent unemployment claims had been filed from that same address, which they said were all linked to a woman who once worked for the state unemployment agency until she was fired in 2018.
Former California EDD worker faked being Dianne Feinstein in scamming jobless benefits, sources say
Workers wait in line in a basement garage to apply for unemployment benefits in Los Angeles. A former Employment Development Department employee is accused of defrauding the state of unemployment benefits, including some paid in the name of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
(Associated Press)
SACRAMENTO
Federal authorities have filed charges in three newly uncovered conspiracies to cheat California’s pandemic unemployment benefits system, including one by a former Employment Development Department employee who was able to scam more than $200,000, including one claim that used the name of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
NorCal Woman Has Allegedly Been Collecting Unemployment Benefits In Dianne Feinstein s Name
One of apparently many cases of unemployment benefit fraud being investigated this year involves a Sacramento area woman who used to work for the Employment Development Department, and who apparently cashed in $21,000 in fraudulent claims using the name and social security number of Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Bank of America, which administers the EDD s benefit debit cards, was the one to flag the claims being made in Feinstein s name not the EDD itself, which has apparently been more than willing to approve claims for any and everyone who applies, including death row inmates, even though thousands of Californians said they were unable to get their benefits processed when the pandemic began.