Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Reha Janee Arvie, 34, from Westwego, Louisiana, has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The charge involves defrauding state offices of Unemployment Insurance (UI) through fraudulent applications. Arvie could face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss related to the crime, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, since July 2020, Arvie engaged in submitting approximately 100 fraudulent UI applications across various states. She recruited friends and family via Facebook for this scheme and charged fees ranging from $1,200 to $1,500 per claim filed. In one instance, she obtained $267,612 in benefits from California's Employment Development Department. During the investigation process, Arvie provided false information to federal agents.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established on May 17, 2021. It aims to combat pandemic-related fraud by leveraging resources across government agencies. The task force focuses on investigating and prosecuting criminal actors involved in such frauds and assists agencies in preventing these activities by sharing insights and coordination.
"The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response," as stated by officials involved with the task force. This case benefited from the support of PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence.
Individuals with information about COVID-19-related fraud can report it through the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online via their complaint form.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledges assistance from multiple departments including the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and others involved in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba is leading the prosecution.
