E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
Five individuals, including a California Highway Patrol dispatcher and her husband, have been charged in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.3 million in COVID-19 unemployment benefits. The Justice Department announced the indictment today.
The defendants include Janet Clarise Gloria Theus, 44, Diane Clarise Theus, 78, Dailen Spears, 24, Erica Abson Robins, 57, and Ronald Lee Robins, 62. They face charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud among other offenses.
Janet Theus faces additional charges of bank fraud. Her mother Diane Theus and Erica Abson Robins are also charged with bank fraud. All except Spears face charges related to the unlawful use of unauthorized access devices.
According to the indictment unsealed today, from April 2020 to July 2022 the group allegedly used stolen identities to file fraudulent applications for COVID-19 unemployment benefits. This included filing approximately 293 applications that led to payouts totaling around $3.3 million.
"Approximately 169 of the benefits applications the defendants caused to be filed were for children under the age of 18," states the indictment. Additionally, claims were submitted on behalf of incarcerated prisoners.
Erica Robins allegedly used her position as a CHP dispatcher to access personal data from a law enforcement database which was then used in their scheme. Her husband Ronald Robins reportedly gathered similar information from fellow inmates while incarcerated.
All five defendants have pleaded not guilty during their arraignment hearings this week. A trial date has been set for April 29.
If convicted on all counts, each defendant could face up to 30 years in federal prison for each bank fraud-related charge and up to ten years for unauthorized access device use.
The case is part of broader efforts by the Department of Justice's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force established in May 2021 and includes contributions from various law enforcement agencies such as U.S. Secret Service and California’s Employment Development Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Diane B. Roldán and Matthew J. Tako are leading the prosecution.
