Here you'll find an archive of all pandemic-related arrests and prosecutions.
"LADA Charges 11 Additional Los Angeles County Employees with Pandemic Unemployment Benefit Fraud"
– Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, December 5, 2025
"New Hampshire Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme that Stole Over $700,000 in California Unemployment Insurance Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, November 20, 2025
"Orange County Staffing Company Owner Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Her with Masterminding $90 Million Tax Fraud"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, November 20, 2025
"Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Tens of Thousands of Eaton Fire Disaster Money and COVID Jobless Funds"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, September 29, 2025
"Charges announced in schemes to steal FEMA funds intended for LA County wildfire victims"
– Los Angeles Daily News, September 29, 2025
"Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Connection with Covid-Related Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, September 15, 2025
"Former U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier Sentenced to 5½ Years in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $10 Million Worth of Checks from the Mail"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, September 8, 2025
"Las Vegas man accused of stealing $500K in COVID unemployment benefits"
– Yahoo News, August 27, 2025
"Sacramento Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Benefit Fraud Scheme During Pandemic"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, August 7, 2025
"Citrus Heights Couple Sentenced for $1 Million Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, August 7, 2025
"Convicted Felon Federally Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $800,000 in COVID Funds by Hiding Criminal History"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, August 6, 2025
"Man charged with nearly $600,000 in wire and mail fraud against EDD"
– KCRA 3, July 21, 2025
"Stanislaus County Mother-Son Duo Sentenced to Prison for Inmate Unemployment Insurance Claims Conspiracy"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, July 18, 2025
"Former Amtrak Employee Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Prison for Crimes, Including Near-$1 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Fraud"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, July 17, 2025
"Man stole over $1.3 million through California COVID fraud scheme to build hotel, nightclub abroad"
– KTLA 5 Morning News, July 16, 2025
"Inglewood Woman Charged in Federal Indictment Alleging $1.3 Million in COVID-19 Jobless Benefits Scheme"
– Sierra Sun Times, July 6, 2025
"Virginia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland, July 1, 2025
"Miami Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2.3 Million COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland, June 24, 2025
"Riverside County Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Running $1.7 Million COVID-19 Benefits Fraud She Advertised on Instagram"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, June 18, 2025
"Second Defendant Pleads Guilty For Fraudulently Obtaining Millions In Public Benefits And Laundering Proceeds To China"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania, June 2, 2025
"Detroit mail carrier accused of defrauding pandemic-era unemployment benefit programs"
– CBS News Detroit, May 27, 2025
"California Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, May 21, 2025
"Westwego Woman Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud by Defrauding State Offices of Unemployment Insurance"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, May 19, 2025
"Former State Government Employee and Her Ex-Boyfriend Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Jobless Relief"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, May 9, 2025
"Citrus Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Participation in $1 Million Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Scheme and to Firearm Charge"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, April 24, 2025
"Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Scheme During COVID-19 Pandemic"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland, April 4, 2025
"Oakland Woman Who Made Multiple Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Claims Using Stolen Identities Sentenced To 33 Months And One Day"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California, March 31, 2025
"Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over Three Years In Prison For Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud And Identity Theft"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nevada, March 28, 2025
"Former EDD Employee Sentenced to 66 Months for Mail Fraud and Bribery Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, March 28, 2025
"High Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, March 26, 2025
"5 Charged in Alleged $3.3 Million Scam to Obtain COVID Jobless Benefits for Unqualified Individuals, Including Children and Inmates"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, March 6, 2025
"Citrus Heights Woman Pleads Guilty to Participation in $1 Million Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, February 27, 2025
"Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty to Participation in Nearly $2.6 Million COVID-19 Benefit Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, February 13, 2025
"Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Nearly $3 Million and Five Indianapolis Homes"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana, February 3, 2025
"CEO of Non-Profit that Provided Mentoring Services to Public School Students Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining COVID Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, November 25, 2024
"Fresno County Man Indicted for Mailing Falsified Disability Insurance Claims"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, November 12, 2024
"San Bernardino County Woman and Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging $2.1 Million Scheme to Illegally Get COVID Jobless Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, November 5, 2024
"68 Defendants Charged in Indictment of Dozens of Members and Associates of San Fernando Valley White Supremacist Gang"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, October 2, 2024
"Tracy Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Fraudulent Scheme to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, September 18, 2024
"Sacramento, California Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Collecting $100,000 in Unemployment Benefits During COVID-19"
– Sierra Sun Times, June 27, 2024
"CEO of Non-Profit that Provided Mentoring Services to Public School Students Arrested on COVID Jobless Benefits Fraud Charges"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, June 26, 2024
“Ex-USC football player agrees to plea bargain in fraudulent COVID benefits case"
– Los Angeles Times, June 10, 2024
“Alleged Mastermind of $5 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme Extradited from Romania"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, February 23, 2024
“Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to $5 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, February 15, 2024
“Mother and Daughter Team Plead Guilty in COVID-19 Related Jailhouse Unemployment Insurance Fraud”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, January 16, 2024
“Two Nigerian Nationals Based in Maryland Sentenced for Schemes to Steal California and Other States’ Unemployment Insurance Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, October 10, 2023
“Nigerian National Based in Maryland Sentenced to 4 Years and 9 Months in Prison and Nigerian House Ordered Forfeited for Schemes to Steal Unemployment Insurance Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, July 25, 2023
“California Resident Sentenced To Prison For Committing Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nevada, July 25, 2023
“Suspect Arrested on Charges for EDD Fraud After Thorough Investigation by District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations”
– Kern County District Attorney, July 24, 2023
“Hospital Employee Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Using Patient Information to Steal Pandemic Unemployment Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, July 21, 2023
“San Diego Couple Charged with Stealing Stimulus Payments During Pandemic and Purchasing Luxury Mercedes-Benz and Jewelry”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, July 17, 2023
*Note: The couple was charged with crimes related to fraudulent UI applications to EDD even though not mentioned in the headline.
“Romanian National Pleads Guilty to $5 Million Covid Relief Fraud”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, July 11, 2023
“Convicted Murderer Who Ran $1.5 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Fraud from Behind Bars Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, July 10, 2023
“Victorville Woman Sentenced to 2½ Years in Federal Prison for Using Inmates’ Info to Illegally Obtain Over $500,000 in COVID Jobless Aid”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, June 26, 2023
“New Jersey Man Sentenced to 6.75 Years in Prison for Schemes to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Economic Injury Disaster Loans”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, May 22, 2023
“L.A. Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for $5.5 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Scam, Tax Fraud and Drug Trafficking”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, March 6, 2023
"Romanian Citizen Arrested and Charged in $5 Million Covid Relief Fraud"
–U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, March 2, 2023
"Two Nigerian citizens indicted for attempting to defraud the United States of over $25 million"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, February 22, 2023
“Two Men Plead Guilty To COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Conspiracy”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nevada, February 17, 2023
“Woodbridge Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia, February 16, 2023
“Two Euclid Men Charged with Stealing COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio, February 15, 2023
"Kern County Resident Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Role in Disability Benefits Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, February 13, 2023
“Fresno Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Unemployment Benefit Fraud Scheme and Possession of Stolen Mail”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, February 9, 2023
"Inland Empire Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Prison Inmates’ Names to Fraudulently Obtain Over $500,000 in COVID Jobless Relief"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, January 23, 2023
"Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Identities to Apply for More Than $1 Million in COVID Jobless Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, January 23, 2023
“New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Schemes to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits and to Steal Economic Injury Disaster Loans”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, January 9, 2023
"Justice Department Announces Results of Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action"
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, August 23, 2023
"Justice Department Announces Nationwide Coordinated Law Enforcement Action to Combat COVID-19 Health Care Fraud"
- United States Attorney's Office Central District of California, April 20, 2023
"Tackling the biggest fraud in US history – pandemic relief"
- The Christian Science Monitor, April 3, 2023
“Former Mail Carrier and Co-Schemer Who Lived on His Mail Delivery Route Each Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Prison for COVID Fraud”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, December 12, 2022
"Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Stealing Nearly $5.5 Million in COVID Jobless Relief and for Drug Trafficking"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, November 14, 2022
"Attorney General Bonta Announces Arrest of EDD Fraud Suspect Alleged to Have Stolen Identities of Scott Peterson, Cary Stayner"
– California Department of Justice, October 19, 2022
"Employment Development Department Reminds Californians to Guard Against Identity Theft “ Smishing ” Scams"
– Employment Development Department, October 18, 2022
"Employment Development Department Reminds Californians to Guard Against Identity Theft “ Smishing ” Scams"
– EDD, October 18, 2022
"Justice Department Announces COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, September 14, 2022
“Rapper Who Bragged About COVID-Related Jobless Benefits Scam Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Fraud and Firearm Charges”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, July 6, 2022
“Six Defendants Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging They Fraudulently Obtained $2 Million in COVID-19 Jobless Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, July 6, 2022
"California recovers $1.1 billion in unemployment aid amid fraud investigation”
– Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2022
“EDD Halts New Unemployment Insurance Fraud Attempt, Begins Notifying Claimants and Potential Victims”
– EDD, May 26, 2022
"Postal Service Mail Carrier Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Nearly $800,000 in Jobless Benefits"
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, May 26, 2022
“Woman Serving Life Prison Sentence Allegedly Led Ring that Used Stolen Identities to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Benefits”
– U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, May 17, 2022
“Employment Development Department and California Office of Emergency Services Announce More Unemployment Insurance Fraud Crackdowns”
– EDD, April 12, 2022