Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Tabitha Leigh Markle, a 53-year-old resident of Sacramento, has admitted guilt to charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft related to a scheme that defrauded the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that from April 2020 to January 2021, Markle exploited the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and federal resources by submitting fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits using personal information such as names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers. These applications resulted in UI debit cards being sent to addresses she provided. Markle and her associates then used these cards at ATMs across California to withdraw substantial sums of cash. Surveillance photos frequently captured them withdrawing large amounts of money from these cards. The fraudulent activities netted approximately $2,599,038.
Among the victims was an individual identified as N.T., a resident of Oakland. Without N.T.'s consent or knowledge, Markle filed a false unemployment claim using N.T.'s genuine details but with fabricated contact information. Associates withdrew significant funds from the card issued under N.T.'s name.
The investigation into this case was conducted by several agencies including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is handling prosecution duties.
Markle's sentencing is set for May 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. She faces potential penalties including up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000 (or twice the amount lost) for mail fraud charges along with supervised release for up to five years. For aggravated identity theft charges, she faces an additional mandatory two-year prison term and similar fines.
This case is part of efforts by a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation—a collaborative initiative among law enforcement agencies aimed at tackling large-scale pandemic relief fraud across multiple states involving criminal networks and international actors.
