A Bronx grand jury has indicted two people on grand larceny and identity theft charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy that stole more than $500,000 from New York’s pandemic unemployment insurance program.
Darcel D. Clark, Bronx District Attorney, revealed that Moses Santiago, 30, and Diamond Bonaparte, 31, were charged following a two-year investigation involving state and federal agencies.
Prosecutors claim the couple used the identities of several victims to get unemployment benefits intended for workers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Prosecutors Allege Two-Year Fraud Scheme
According to the inquiry, the suspected theft took place between April 2020 and April 2022.
Investigators from the New York State Department of Labor, the United States Department of Labor, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Financial Frauds Bureau allege that the defendants used stolen personal information belonging to 13 victims.
Authorities claimed the names were reportedly submitted through the New York State Department of Labor’s unemployment benefits system as legitimate applicants.
As a result, more than $500,000 in unemployment benefits were allegedly distributed through state-authorized accounts set up in the victims’ names.
Funds Allegedly Moved Through Cash App Accounts
Prosecutors claim the suspects transferred money from their jobless accounts to Cash App accounts they controlled.
The money was subsequently allegedly spent on personal purposes, such as consumer items and travel.
Investigators later tracked down and interviewed the identity theft victims, with help from state and federal labor investigators and auditors.
Defendants Face Multiple Charges
Santiago and Bonaparte were arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Pamela A. Goldsmith.
Each defendant has been charged with second-degree grand larceny and thirteen counts of identity theft.
Santiago is slated to appear in court on September 10, while Bonaparte is due back on August 17.
Officials Condemn Pandemic Benefit Fraud
According to District Attorney Clark, the defendants are accused of taking advantage of a program created to assist persons experiencing financial difficulties during the pandemic.
“These defendants allegedly stole identities of innocent people and then fraudulently obtained federal benefits meant for those out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” Clark claimed. “They allegedly stole $500,000 from the program over two years.”
According to Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General for the United States Department of Labor, pandemic unemployment benefits are intended to help workers during a national emergency.
“Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar stolen from honest, hardworking Americans,” D’Esposito stated.
The investigation is underway.
Santiago and Bonaparte, like all criminal defendants, are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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