Ohio mother, daughter indicted for $2M COVID aid fraud while working for JFS

ajc.com

An Ohio mother and daughter are accused of the unauthorized release of almost $2 million in COVID-19 unemployment assistance.

Rashanna Burley and Velma Cain were working in customer service at the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services at the time, according to the Ohio Inspector General. Much of the money was reportedly released to relatives or people known to the mother and daughter.

On Jan. 13, 2023, the Office of the Ohio Inspector General received a reference from ODJFS of potential wrongdoing by Burley, who was an intermittent customer service representative.

Burley was responsible for reviewing pandemic unemployment assistance claims assigned to her and verifying all required documents had been submitted, according to the OIG.

Burley reportedly accessed unassigned claims and removed holds or blocks, resulting in ineligible payments.

While reviewing the claims, the OIG discovered Burley’s mother, Cain, took unauthorized actions on claims as a customer service representative.

Burley and Cain’s actions resulted in the release of $355,382 and $1,582,251 pandemic unemployment assistance funds respectively, according to the OIG. Kyson Murphy, an acquaintance of Burley, also reportedly participated in the scheme.

Burley, Cain and Murphy were indicted on engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft, tampering with records, telecommunications fraud, theft in office and money laundering, according to Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

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