Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today that financial crimes agents from the Office of Attorney General, in coordination with federal and local law enforcement, arrested five individuals for allegedly conspiring to provide false information in an attempt to illegally obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act. Three targets are expected to be charged within the next week and one remains at large.
“This program was designed to help people get back on their feet after the severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AG Josh Shapiro. “These defendants instead targeted Pennsylvania’s program to rip off our residents and took advantage of the public health emergency to cash in. We will continue to work with our partners to hold these scammers accountable to the law, and ensure that our unemployment benefits are going to those that need them.”
The investigation showed nine individuals conspired to illegally obtain PUA funds in excess of $925,000. The following individuals were named in criminal complaints filed in the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas and arrested today by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General:
Regine Ford, 26, of Newark, DE
John Rivers III, 35, of Loganville, GA
Jose Thomas, 43, of Sicklerville, NJ
Shammiere Lackey, 28, of Pennsville, NJ
Adrian Hambrick, 38, of Salem, NJ
“When fraud schemes affect public funds – as this one allegedly did – the FBI will work in any capacity, across any platform or jurisdiction, when asked to support the effort to investigate, capture, and prosecute scammers,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire. “The message should be clear – if you defraud the government and, by extension, your fellow citizens for your own personal gain, don’t be surprised when the FBI is knocking on your door.”
