Victoria Kates, a 35-year-old resident of New Britain, was sentenced to three months in prison and two years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kates engaged in fraudulent activities between March 2020 and May 2021. She filed false unemployment applications with the Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) on behalf of family members, acquaintances, and others. In some cases, she also submitted weekly recertifications to maintain the applicants’ purported unemployment status. As compensation for her role, Kates took a portion of the payouts as a fee.
One example presented in court involved an August 2020 application where Kates falsely claimed that a friend was a self-employed driver working full-time hours. The CT-DOL subsequently paid out $27,993 based on these claims, with Kates receiving at least $1,000 to $1,500 as her fee. When authorities requested documentation to verify employment and address details, Kates supplied fraudulent IRS forms and manipulated photographs to support the application.
In addition to unemployment insurance fraud, Kates applied for and received $16,250 through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by providing false information about her income and submitting fake IRS filings. She later submitted further fraudulent information to secure forgiveness of the loan.
The CARES Act established both Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs and PPP loans as emergency financial measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Connecticut Department of Labor administered unemployment benefits for state residents while PPP loans were overseen by the Small Business Administration but issued by private lenders.
Kates pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025, to two counts of wire fraud. Judge Nagala ordered her to pay $233,306 in restitution.
Kates is currently released on a $40,000 bond and must report to prison on March 10.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about COVID-19-related fraud are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit tips online via https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
