DETROIT – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising out of a scheme to defraud multiple states out of more than $1.6 million in pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge John Marengo of the United States Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office.
Darren Smith, 36, entered his guilty pleas before United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg.
According to court records, beginning as early as May 2020 and continuing through at least July 2020, Smith, with the intent to defraud, filed approximately 250 fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims seeking pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits to which he was not entitled. Smith submitted the fraudulent claims in the names of multiple individuals, using their Social Security Numbers and other personal identifying information, without their authorization or consent. The fraudulent UI benefits were paid out via debit cards, which Smith then used to repeatedly withdraw the funds via ATMs located in the Eastern District of Michigan.
United States Attorney Ison stated, “This case reflects our ongoing commitment to prosecute those who took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic by stealing funds intended for those in need. We treat this kind of fraud...
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