Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A former corrections officer with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Jasmine Murphy, pleaded guilty on April 2 in federal court in Boston to charges related to fraudulent claims for pandemic relief funds. Murphy, age 39 and a resident of Boston, admitted to seven counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns set sentencing for July 9.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address misuse of government aid programs established during the COVID-19 pandemic. The charges stem from fraudulent applications for benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as well as unemployment insurance benefits obtained both before and during her employment at the sheriff’s department.
According to prosecutors, Murphy worked as a corrections officer from January 2022 through December 2024 but applied for pandemic unemployment assistance and small business loans prior to joining the department while working at trucking and workforce services companies. She also collected unemployment insurance benefits early in her tenure with the sheriff’s office despite being employed there. In total, she received approximately $44,346 in funds she was not entitled to.
Murphy was indicted alongside another former officer, Christnel Orisca, who pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is scheduled for sentencing on May 12. Both Murphy and Orisca made false statements about their employment status on PUA applications by claiming they were not working or receiving income when they were employed. They also submitted misleading information about their businesses’ income or payrolls on PPP loan applications, including forms requesting forgiveness of those loans.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea along with officials from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Police Department, and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department assisted with the investigation.
Federal authorities remind members of the public that anyone with information about attempted COVID-19-related fraud can report it through an online form provided by the National Center for Disaster Fraud.
