45 Missourians Charged with Unemployment Fraud
Posted By J.T. on August 11, 2009
Jefferson City, MO - An ongoing investigation by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has resulted in guilty pleas from 45 individuals for fraudulent receipt of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits from the state. The individuals were charged with stealing by deceit and have been ordered to pay over $207,000 in restitution.
Two people from Jackson County and one from Cass County are among the 45 entering guilty pleas.
“Unemployment Insurance is an important program to help people get back on their feet and stabilize the economy,” says Department Director Larry Rebman. “This Department, along with the administration, is committed to making sure this money gets into the right hands while at the same time aggressively pursuing those who attempt to cheat the system.”
From the press release:
Routine audits revealed 45 ineligible individuals received UI benefits. These individuals provided false information on weekly applications for UI benefits which caused benefits to be paid improperly. This type of fraud generally constitutes a class C felony, which carries a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment or, if the sentence is suspended, can result in placement on probation for up to five years and an order to make restitution. The individual restitution amounts in these cases range from $1,541 to nearly $7,954. In 2009, the Department has so far collected over $707,000.00 in restitution from cases that have been disposed in previous years.
If you don’t plan on defrauding your fellow Misourians, feel free to visit www.labor.mo.gov to learn how to file an Unemployment Insurance claim.
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