SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan in December released information that stated that two Michigan suspects, including one from Shelby Township, had in total filed 470 unemployment claims in five different states, stealing $4 million in taxpayer dollars meant to go to those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
Tauheed Wilder, 39, of Detroit, and Shuqueni Franklin, 30, of Shelby Township, are charged in separate complaints with mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Wilder and Franklin filed numerous false claims using their own names and false Social Security numbers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Wilder and Franklin also used the stolen identities of other individuals to file false claims for unemployment insurance benefits. Bank surveillance recorded Wilder and Franklin using ATM cards in the names of individuals whose identities they had stolen to withdraw the illegally obtained unemployment benefits, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
Attorneys for Wilder and Franklin could not be reached. The preliminary examinations in U.S. District Court for Wilder and Franklin are scheduled for Feb. 11.
Improvements can stop unemployment fraud
One expert in online fraud explained how the state needs to do better technologically to prevent fraud cases like these.
Haywood Talcove is the CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Government Group, which provides...
Log In Forgot Account? Rappler's Post 31m · #FactCheck#FactsFirstPH rappler.comFACT CHECK: Pangilinan not suspended from Senate after clash with Padilla All reactions: 52 6 comments 6 shares Like ...