E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A group of four siblings from southern California was sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a $1.1 million unemployment benefits fraud scheme. The sentences were handed down by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt in Los Angeles.
The individuals involved were Evelyn Taylor, 41, from South Los Angeles, who received 18 months; Laron Taylor, 38, from California City, who received 54 months; Latrice Taylor, 42, from Buena Park, who received 27 months; and Raschell Taylor, 35, from San Bernardino, who received 24 months. In addition to serving prison time, the Taylors were ordered to pay $567,334 in restitution.
Their charges stem from a scheme operating between February 2013 and July 2016. The Taylors, along with their co-conspirators, created nonexistent businesses and submitted fraudulent unemployment claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). The entities often masqueraded as clothes cleaning services and falsely reported having employees to access unemployment benefits. The siblings used illegitimate EDD-funded debit cards to withdraw funds from various ATMS in Los Angeles. The total amount fraudulently obtained was approximately $1,106,282.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division, with additional assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously, another set of defendants involved in the scheme received sentences. Catrina Gipson, 49, of Moreno Valley, was sentenced to 54 months in prison in February 2023. Vernisha Jolivet, 32, of Ripley, received a six-month sentence in May 2022.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Solomon Kim of the Major Frauds Section.
