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Thursday, September 11, 2025

Laurel Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud ... - Department of Justice

The Defendant and his Co-Conspirators Submitted over 200 Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Claims Using the Personal Identifying Information of Victims

Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Akame Ngwese Ay Makoge, a/k/a “Hype” and “2Hype”, age 28, of Laurel, Maryland pleaded guilty yesterday to a wire fraud conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft, in relation to a Maryland and California unemployment insurance scheme totaling more than $1.5 million.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division (USPIS); Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP); and Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.

According to his plea agreement, from March 2020 to October 2021, Makoge and his co-conspirators impersonated victims to submit fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in Maryland and California. As part of the scheme, Makoge and his co-conspirators obtained the birthdates, social security numbers, and...



Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMieWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmp1c3RpY2UuZ292L3Vz...