By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, alongside the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), has unveiled the results of a detailed, months-long investigation aimed at rooting out deceit within the state's unemployment insurance system.
This concerted effort has led to charges against 20 individuals accused of collectively siphoning more than $1.1 million from New Jersey's unemployment insurance trust fund.
The announcement marks a significant stride in the battle against economic crimes, with the investigations being a collaborative endeavor between the DCJ’s Worker Protection and Fair Labor Enforcement Unit and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
Over a span of just two months, these investigations have laid bare the extent of unemployment benefits fraud, involving cases where individuals unlawfully claimed state and federal unemployment aids—some even resorting to identity theft to illicitly draw benefits in others' names.
Each defendant is accused of filching sums ranging from $13,000 to nearly $100,000, unveiling a significant drain on resources meant to assist the unemployed during their times of need.
Highlighting the seriousness of these offenses, Attorney General Platkin emphasized the detrimental impact of unemployment insurance fraud on both taxpayers and the integrity of support programs designed for those genuinely in hardship.
Echoing Platkin's sentiments, DCJ Director J. Stephen Ferketic and Jonathan Mellone, the Special Agent-in-Charge for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, reaffirmed their agencies' commitment to staunching the flow of fraudulent claims and preserving the sanctity of unemployment benefits.
Among the defendants, three face charges of second-degree theft by deception, while the remaining 17 are accused of third-degree theft by deception. Two also face charges related to identity theft and tampering with public records.
These individuals hail from across ten counties in the state, reflecting the widespread nature of the fraud.
