Guilty plea entered in unemployment fraud scheme involving over half a million dollars
A Detroit man has pleaded guilty to federal charges spinning out of an unemployment and identity theft scheme that involved over half a million dollars.
Nicholas Overton, 32, entered his plea Thursday in U.S. District Court to one count each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the announcement from Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Court records say that Overton submitted or caused the submission of nearly 90 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims across 20 states, including Michigan, thereby receiving over $500,000 in fraudulent unemployment assistance payments. Those claims were submitted using personal identifying information from people who were unaware that their identities were compromised and had not authorized someone to file claims on their behalf.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 7. Overton faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment on the wire fraud count and a mandatory, consecutive sentence of 2 years imprisonment on the identity theft count.
This case was investigated by special agents of the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General.