Florida woman charged in Maryland identity theft scheme
A Florida woman has been charged in an identity theft scheme in Maryland, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Friday.
Tamika Jones, 33, of Miami, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, seven counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of mail fraud.
Federal prosecutors say Jones impersonated victims from May 2020 to June 2021, submitting fraudulent unemployment claims.
Maryland residents seeking unemployment benefits submit online applications with personal information and employment history. Applicants must certify they are unemployed, partially employed, or unable to work for COVID-19-related reasons.
Jones allegedly used stolen personal information, including names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, to apply for benefits through the Maryland Department of Labor.
The scheme targeted both state and federal unemployment programs that were expanded during the pandemic, according to prosecutors.
The expanded programs included Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and Lost Wages Assistance.
Jones could receive up to 20 years in federal prison for wire and mail fraud if convicted.
Recent fraud schemes in Maryland
In July, a Baltimore County couple was sentenced to prison time after being convicted of an insurance fraud and money laundering scheme that spanned 25 years, according to the Department of Justice.
According to court documents, James and Maureen Wilson, of Owings Mills, conspired to defraud insurance companies by opening more than 40 life insurance policies.
James was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and Maureen was sentenced to four years.
Prosecutors allege the Wilson's got more than $20 million from their scheme, which began in 1996 and continued through 2021.
In February, a Baltimore man pleaded guilty to stealing over $82,000 from Maryland's Child and Adult Care Food Program through fraudulent reimbursement claims.
During the same month, a former Baltimore City Department of Finance employee was sentenced to four years in federal prison in connection with a bribery scheme and fraud involving COVID-19 relief funds.
