ABINGDON, VA – Three convicted fraudsters who reportedly exploited pandemic unemployment benefits to the tune of over half a million dollars were sentenced to federal prison, according to reports. Prosecutors claimed the enormous sum of ill-gotten gains were obtained in part by using the personal information of over 100 inmates housed at an area jail in Scott County.
While the era of the pandemic is roughly five years removed, the criminal justice system is still playing catch up due to the alarming amount of fraud that was carried out across the country in connection with numerous pandemic relief programs.
Ostensibly one of the biggest targets for fraud during the pandemic era were various unemployment benefit programs, and three individuals out of Virginia were among those recently sentenced to federal prison for their fraudulent schemes during the aforesaid era.
According to a press release from the Justice Department from earlier in March, 45-year-old Jonathan Ricketts was handed down an 8 year sentence after serving as the de facto ringleader of an unemployment benefits scheme where he and his wife, Farren Ricketts, used the identities of jail inmates to amass approximately $669,000 in said benefits.
Jonathan and his wife reportedly owned a company dubbed Ricketts Advisory LLC which allegedly served as a front company where seven people were “employed” solely for the purposes of filing fraudulent unemployment claims. But the level of fraud carried out by the two exploded while Jonathan had a short stint at the Duffield Regional Jail, as he reportedly sent the personally identifiable information (PII) of 101 jail inmates to his wife so she could file fraudulent unemployment claims using these stolen identities.
Two of the employees of Jonathan during the fraud carried out between April of 2020 through March of 2021 were also convicted in connection with the debacle, identified as 39-year-old Megan Claudill and 37-year-old Christopher Woliver. Prosecutors proved the two additional conspirators aided in recruiting others to fraudulently file for unemployment benefits through Jonathan’s company. Claudill’s exploits reportedly contributed approximately $166,000 in fraudulent benefits being obtained while Woliver’s efforts contributed approximately $25,000.
Per the Justice Department press release, Claudill was sentenced to 30 days confinement alongside a year of house arrest and three years of probation, as well as having to pay $166,204 in restitution. Woliver was handed down a 2 year sentence and was ordered to pay $29,076 in restitution. As for Jonathan’s lengthy 8 year sentence, he and his wife are also on the hook for $669,124 in restitution.
While the era of the pandemic is roughly five years removed, the criminal justice system is still playing catch up due to the alarming amount of fraud that was carried out across the country in connection with numerous pandemic relief programs.
Ostensibly one of the biggest targets for fraud during the pandemic era were various unemployment benefit programs, and three individuals out of Virginia were among those recently sentenced to federal prison for their fraudulent schemes during the aforesaid era.
According to a press release from the Justice Department from earlier in March, 45-year-old Jonathan Ricketts was handed down an 8 year sentence after serving as the de facto ringleader of an unemployment benefits scheme where he and his wife, Farren Ricketts, used the identities of jail inmates to amass approximately $669,000 in said benefits.
Jonathan and his wife reportedly owned a company dubbed Ricketts Advisory LLC which allegedly served as a front company where seven people were “employed” solely for the purposes of filing fraudulent unemployment claims. But the level of fraud carried out by the two exploded while Jonathan had a short stint at the Duffield Regional Jail, as he reportedly sent the personally identifiable information (PII) of 101 jail inmates to his wife so she could file fraudulent unemployment claims using these stolen identities.
Two of the employees of Jonathan during the fraud carried out between April of 2020 through March of 2021 were also convicted in connection with the debacle, identified as 39-year-old Megan Claudill and 37-year-old Christopher Woliver. Prosecutors proved the two additional conspirators aided in recruiting others to fraudulently file for unemployment benefits through Jonathan’s company. Claudill’s exploits reportedly contributed approximately $166,000 in fraudulent benefits being obtained while Woliver’s efforts contributed approximately $25,000.
Per the Justice Department press release, Claudill was sentenced to 30 days confinement alongside a year of house arrest and three years of probation, as well as having to pay $166,204 in restitution. Woliver was handed down a 2 year sentence and was ordered to pay $29,076 in restitution. As for Jonathan’s lengthy 8 year sentence, he and his wife are also on the hook for $669,124 in restitution.
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