17 Long Islanders Charged with Fraudulently Collecting Unemployment Benefits

LongIsland.com

As much as $270,000 in unemployment benefits has been fraudulently collected. Seventeen Long Islanders now face charges and can face up to seven years in prison.

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Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice and the New York State Department of Labor have been working together to investigate incidences of fraud on the collection of unemployment insurance benefits. The investigation has led to the charge of 17 Long Islanders who, together, have fraudulently collected approximately $270,000 in benefits.

The individuals face criminal charges for failing to report employment to the Department of Labor and continuing to collect unemployment benefits. They face the top count charge of grand larceny in the third degree. If convicted, there is a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

“Unemployment insurance is meant to help honest workers get through hard times while they look for jobs, but these defendants are charged with abusing that trust and assistance by cheating the system,” according to Nassau County District Attorney Rice.

Of the 17 individuals facing charges, one individual from Patchogue has collected as much as $50,000 in unemployment insurance benefits between 2007 and 2012.  

The defendants facing charges for fraudulently collecting unemployment insurance benefits are from all parts of Long Island, including, Baldwin, Elmont, Freeport , Garden City, Hempstead, Long Beach, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Patchogue, Roosevelt, Valley Stream, Westbury and West Hempstead.

[Source: Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice]