By: Najla Alexander
NJ AG authorities announced that a Middlesex County man admitted that he conspired to illegally obtain over $400,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger stated that Christopher Valerio, 33, of Perth Amboy, pleaded guilty on November 16, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to officials, Valerio’s conspirator, Yanira Abreu, 42, of Keasby, pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, on charges stemming from the same scheme.
A third conspirator, Jose Tavares, 35, of New York, is charged by complaint, and his case remains pending, officials stated.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 through February 2021, officials said, Valerio, Abreu, and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL).
According to officials, this was through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent.
Authorities say once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Valerio and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling $444,738, which they used for personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest, officials said.
Officials say sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2024.