 Unemployment
Insurance Fraud Investigation Yields Eight Convictions
INDIANAPOLIS (January 6, 2016) – The
Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) receives wage reports and new
hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who is employed and receiving
compensation. The agency’s unemployment insurance fraud investigation taskforce
examines claims of individuals whom intentionally provide false, misreported or
unreported information in order to fraudulently claim benefits. As a result of
the taskforce’s investigations, local courts recently found these individuals
guilty of unemployment insurance fraud:
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Shameca S. Robertson of Indianapolis was sentenced to three years of
probation and ordered to repay $3,942 for the benefits she fraudulently
collected.
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Terry Owens of South Bend was sentenced to two and one-half years of probation and ordered to repay $16,372 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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William Anderson of Gary was sentenced to eighteen months of
probation and ordered to repay $29,000 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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John L. Cantrell of Warsaw was sentenced to one year to be served
in Kosiusko County Jail and four years of probation and ordered to repay $79,909
for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Tracy Sibande of Indianapolis was sentenced to five years of
probation and ordered to repay $22,466 for the benefits she fraudulently
collected.
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Jason T. Boles of Bedford was sentenced to three years of
probation and ordered to repay $15,733 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Charles M. Griffin of Largo was sentenced to four years of
probation and ordered to repay $17,196 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Tonya S. Linkous of Richmond was sentenced to two years of jail
and six years of probation and ordered to repay $32,331 for the benefits she fraudulently collected.
Over the
past three years, DWD has increased its efforts to identify and prosecute
individuals whom committed unemployment insurance fraud. This has resulted in a
63-percent reduction in Indiana’s fraud rate since 2013, which has accounted
for savings of more than $18 million.
You can help combat
unemployment insurance fraud and abuse by reporting it online at www.in.gov/dwd/fraud. Your efforts will assist
the agency in ensuring that tax dollars are spent wisely and unemployment
insurance benefits are only paid to people whom are eligible to receive them.
You do not need to provide your name or any other identifying information in
order to file a complaint in regards to unemployment insurance fraud.
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For additional information, contact:
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