Unemployment
Insurance Fraud Investigation Yields 38 Convictions
INDIANAPOLIS (April 03, 2017) – 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 who intentionally
provide false, misreported or unreported information in order to fraudulently
claim benefits. As a result of the taskforce’s investigations, local courts found these individuals guilty of unemployment
insurance fraud across Indiana:
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Aaron R. Balliet of Fort Wayne was sentenced to four
years of probation and ordered to repay $13,772.25 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Aaron J. Beldon of Argos was sentenced to two years of
home detention, four years of probation and ordered to repay $48,317 for
the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Joshua J. Bradley of Claypool was sentenced to three years
of probation and ordered to repay $13,330.20 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Melvin R. Burroughs of Indianapolis was sentenced to four
years of probation and ordered to repay $22,741.50 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Ty L. Bush of Greenwood was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $16,679 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Jourdan C. Castellanos of Gary was sentenced to 18 months of
probation and ordered to repay $10,027 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Michael A. Christensen of Crown Point was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $24,673.50 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Brooks O. Culpepper IV of Hobart was sentenced to four years of
probation and ordered to repay $37,383.75 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Franklin P. Davis of Marion was sentenced to two years of
home detention, two years of probation and ordered to repay $24,972 for
the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Aurelia L. Dunnivan of Indianapolis was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $17,156.25 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Donnetta Dunston of Fishers was sentenced to three years
of probation and ordered to repay $13,931.86 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Richard W. Fort of Indianapolis was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $13,499 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Deborah A. Fowler of South Bend was sentenced to two years
of probation and ordered to repay $33,239 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Ricky L. Frye Jr. of Bloomington was sentenced to one year
of probation and ordered to repay $8,000 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Andria S. Fuller of Fort Wayne was sentenced to four
years of probation, 80 hours of community service and ordered to repay $24,911
for the benefits she fraudulently collected.
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Timothy A. Gronek of Valparaiso was sentenced to 18 months
of probation and ordered to repay $12,926 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Sandra Hallman of South Bend was sentenced to one year
of probation and ordered to repay $17,656 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Darin C. Hanson of Fort Wayne was sentenced to four
years of probation and ordered to repay $42,267.40 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Sharon K. Humbles of Fishers was sentenced to one year of
probation and ordered to repay $7,643 for the benefits she fraudulently
collected.
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Richard R. Jewell of LaPorte was sentenced to two years of
probation, two weeks in jail and ordered to repay $15,696 for the benefits
he fraudulently collected.
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Jason L. Johnson of Dayton was sentenced to 270 days in
jail, three years and 95 days of probation and ordered to repay $12,968
for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Natcole C. Johnson of Indianapolis was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $17,421.63 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Christopher W. Jones of Indianapolis was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $14,137.50 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Tonya S. Linkous of Richmond was sentenced to two years
in jail, six years of probation and ordered to repay $32,331 for the
benefits she fraudulently collected.
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Juan L. Nieto of Fort Wayne was sentenced to one year
of probation and ordered to repay $7,680 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Michael A. Peclet of Flat Rock was sentenced to four years
in jail, three years of probation and ordered to repay $31,849.50 for the
benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Brittany N. Pennington of Fountain City was sentenced to one
year of probation and ordered to repay $7,425 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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David J. Porter of Fort Wayne was sentenced to one year of
probation and ordered to repay $33,972 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Saul R. Reyes of Whiting was sentenced to three years
of probation and ordered to repay $38,263 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Cheyenne D. Ritenour of Warsaw was sentenced to three years
of probation and ordered to repay $14,394 for the benefits he fraudulently
collected.
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Chad Sharp of Lake Station was sentenced to two
and a half years of probation and ordered to repay $10,237.50 for the
benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Clay D. Snyder of Shelbyville was sentenced to one
year in jail, three years of home detention, three years of probation and
ordered to repay $42,719.33 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Rodney Varpucianskas of Hammond was sentenced to three years
of probation and ordered to repay $29,462.40 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Symphonie Watkins of South Bend was sentenced to one year
of probation and ordered to repay $10,341 for the benefits she
fraudulently collected.
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Andrew L. Weddle of Richmond was sentenced to two and a
half years of probation and ordered to repay $10,868 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
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Thomas G. Wrzalinski of McCordsville was sentenced to one
year of home detention, 18 months of probation and ordered to repay
$12,178 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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Barry L. Wyatt of Alexandria was sentenced to three
years of probation and ordered to repay $21,315 for the benefits he
fraudulently collected.
Since
last June, more than $750,000 must be repaid to DWD as restitution for
fraudulently claiming unemployment insurance benefits.
Throughout
the past three years, DWD has increased its efforts to identify and prosecute
individuals who committed unemployment insurance fraud. 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 paid only to people who are
eligible to receive them. You do not need to provide your name or any other
identifying information in order to file a complaint.
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For additional information, contact:
Kayli Schroeder, 317-232-7358, kschroeder@dwd.in.gov
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