Contact the experienced employment law attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. today at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com.
Pursuant to the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Press Release, a Torrington woman was recently arrested and charged with collecting a deceased man’s unemployment compensation benefits for three (3) months after the individual’s death. The Defendant, age fifty (50), was arrested by Inspectors from the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit and charged with one (1) count each of Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community, Identity Theft in the Second Degree, and Unemployment Compensation Fraud.
Pursuant to the Department of Unemployment Compensation’s report, the arrest is a result of an investigation into a complaint by the Connecticut Department of Labor which uncovered that the Defendant collected approximately $6,230.00 in unemployment benefits under the claim of an individual with whom she had resided, but who had passed on April 4, 2017. It is important to note however that these charges are merely accusations and that the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until she is found guilty.
Under Connecticut law, Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community is a Class B felony punishable by not less than one (1) year in jail, nor more than twenty (20) years in jail, and/or up to a $15,000 fine. As Defendant was further charged with Identity Theft in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, she is facing punishment of not less than one (1) year in jail, nor more than ten (10) years in jail, and/or up to a $10,000 fine. Defendant’s final charge is Unemployment Compensation Fraud in excess of five hundred dollars ($500), which is a Class D felony punishable by not less than one (1) year in jail, nor more than five (5) years in jail, and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
Both employers and employees should be aware of the seriousness in unemployment compensation fraud and the harm that it causes upon both the employees and employers alike. Employees claims will be viewed with a more skeptical eye each time fraud is perpetrated, and the monetary cost to employers increases which each fraudulent claim uncovered.
If you are an employer and are seeking information regarding unemployment compensation fraud, contact the experienced employment law attorneys today at 203-221-3100, or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com. We have the experience and knowledge you need at this critical juncture. We serve clients in both New York and Connecticut including New Canaan, Bridgeport, White Plains, and Darien.
Source: ct.gov
