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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Wanda Seeney (573) 751-7500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2008
Eighteen Convicted of Unemployment Insurance Fraud; More Than $79,750 in Restitution Ordered
Missouri Department of Labor Aggressively Investigates Fraud Cases
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations today announced its referrals resulted in 18 criminal convictions for unemployment insurance fraud. These convictions resulted in court-ordered restitution in the amount of $79,756.29.
The following were investigated by the department’s Division of Employment Security (DES) and were referred to the county’s prosecuting attorney or circuit attorney. Among the cases successfully prosecuted were:
- Arthur Campbell was sentenced on March 27, 2008, in St. Louis City to five years probation and ordered restitution of $6,372.00.
- Calvin Roston was sentenced on March 25, 2008, in Jackson County to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
- Delaron Douglas was sentenced on June 12, 2008, in Jackson County to two years probation and ordered restitution of $3,836.00.
- April Threets was sentenced on June 12, 2008, in Jackson County to two years probation and ordered restitution of $3,260.00.
- Marvin French was sentenced on March 10, 2008, in Boone County to five years probation and ordered restitution of $4,463.00.
- Gregory A. Collins was sentenced on April 7, 2008, in Dallas County to six months probation and ordered restitution of $4,277.00.
- Phillip Brown was sentenced on June 30, 2008, in St. Louis County to five years probation and ordered restitution of $6,036.00.
- Stacey Ross was sentenced on June 18, 2008, in St. Louis City to five years probation and ordered restitution of $4,864.71.
- Jennifer Fields was sentenced on May 22, 2008, in St. Louis City to five years probation and ordered restitution of $4,280.00.
- Kimberly R. Williams was sentenced on April 24, 2008, in Jackson County to two years probation and ordered restitution of $3,585.00.
- James Morris was sentenced on June 26, 2008, in Franklin County to five years probation and ordered restitution of $6,234.00.
- Jerry Don Fields was sentenced on Feb. 7, 2008, in Clay County to two years probation. His debt of $3,122.58 has been satisfied.
- Gregory Freilinger was sentenced on May 15, 2008, in Clay County to five years probation and ordered restitution of $6,250.00.
- Judy Denise Morris was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2008, in Clay County to two years probation and ordered restitution of $2,815.00.
- Lisa Williams was sentenced on Jan. 24, 2008, in Jackson County to two years probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,930.00.
- Kenya Kinder was sentenced on Feb. 28, 2008, in Jackson County to two years probation and ordered restitution of $5,250.00.
- Robert E. Benedict was sentenced on July 11, 2008, in Schuyler County to three years probation and ordered restitution of $5,116.00.
- Charles Ream was sentenced on July 16, 2008, in Cass County to five years probation and ordered restitution of $6,065.00.
“The DES uses various tools to identify individuals who knowingly file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims,” said Todd Smith, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director. “By partnering with local prosecutors, our agency actively pursues criminal prosecution of such claims.”
Fraudulent unemployment insurance claims are those collected by individuals who do not qualify for them. Under Missouri law, workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and are actively seeking work are eligible to receive up to 26 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits. Workers also must have worked in covered employment and earned certain wages to be entitled to any unemployment insurance benefits. In addition to employee fraud, the DES also aggressively pursues employer fraud.
For more information regarding the DES or to report potential unemployment insurance fraud, visit the Internet site, www.dolir.mo.gov/es or call
(573) 751-3215.
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