Two Marion County Men Plead Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud
INDIANAPOLIS (April 17, 2017) –
Indianapolis resident Zachary L. Hale, 31, pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Marion County Superior Criminal Court 3 on April 4, 2017. Hale was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to repay the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) $12,988.10 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
Indianapolis resident Jerome Wilson, 62, also pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Marion County Superior Criminal Court 6 on April 12, 2017. Wilson was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to repay DWD $28,690 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
Through the use of agency records, DWD employees began an investigation and
determined that both Hale and Wilson were working and receiving wages while claiming
unemployment insurance benefits.
DWD
receives wage reports and new hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who
is employed and receiving compensation. The agency uses this information to
ensure people are not collecting unemployment insurance benefits while
working.
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
help ensure 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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