Lake County Man Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud
INDIANAPOLIS (May 15, 2017) –
Hammond resident Hector D. Cruz, 36, pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Lake County Superior Court Criminal Division 4 on May 12, 2017. Through the use of agency records, an Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) employee began an investigation and
determined that Cruz was working and receiving wages while claiming
unemployment insurance benefits.
Cruz was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to repay DWD $10,620 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.
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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