By: Najla Alexander
NJ authorities announced that a New York man was convicted for conspiring to obtain over $570,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits illegally.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger stated that Jose Tavares, 37, of Englewood, was convicted on Oct. 28 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Tavares was convicted after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court, officials said.
According to NJ officials, Tavares’ conspirators, Yanira Abreu, 43, of Keasby, New Jersey, and Christopher Valerio, 34, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, have each previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced by Judge Kirsch in the same scheme.
According to documents filed in this case:
From July 2020 through February 2021, Tavares, Valerio, Abreu, and others submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, NJ officials say.
Officials stated this includes names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of other individuals without their consent.
Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, NJ authorities said that Tavares and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling over $570,000, which they used for personal gain, including vacations, luxury retail purchases, and cosmetic surgery.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said 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.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2025, officials say.