Unemployment Fraud In New York And New Jersey

During the pandemic, both New York and New Jersey extended unemployment benefits to those who needed them. Now, both states are investigating those who took advantage of those benefits. I previously served as a state and federal prosecutor, and I founded the Law Offices of Peter Katz, with office locations in New York and New Jersey, to defend clients accused of criminal activity. If you are being investigated for alleged unemployment fraud, I offer more than 29 years of experience in the criminal court system, and I regularly defend clients accused of white collar crimes.

What Is Unemployment Fraud?

Unemployment fraud, or unemployment insurance fraud, is when a claimant who would not normally be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits receives unemployment benefits unlawfully. Unemployment fraud can take a lot of forms, including:

• Intentionally or knowingly providing false information on an unemployment insurance application for benefits
• Deliberately or intentionally failing to disclose material information or important facts
• Continuing to collect insurance benefits knowing that you are no longer eligible
• Intentionally failing to report income or wages while continuing to collect unemployment benefits

Employers can also commit unemployment fraud by classifying employees as independent contractors, failing to report paid wages or providing false or misleading information about employees.

Using Stolen Identities To Obtain Unemployment

Another type of unemployment fraud is when a person steals the identity of another person for the purpose of obtaining unemployment or insurance benefits. In this situation, the person whose identity was stolen could not have been knowingly or intentionally committing unemployment fraud. However, if you have been accused of stealing someone else’s identity in order to commit fraud, like unemployment insurance fraud, there could be several criminal charges against you.

Unemployment Fraud Penalties

Depending on the type and extent of the fraud or abuse of the unemployment insurance system, criminal charges in New York or New Jersey can range from misdemeanors to felonies. Penalties can include severe fines and jail time. Convictions could result in having to repay the fraudulently obtained benefits and the forfeiture of future income tax refunds. You could also suffer from a permanent ineligibility for future unemployment benefits. If you have been accused of unemployment benefits fraud or believe that you may be under investigation for unemployment fraud, an experienced criminal defense attorney can protect your rights and help you fight for your freedom.

Schedule A Free Consultation With A Defense Attorney Today

I offer prospective clients a free, confidential initial consultation. During this appointment, I will answer any questions that you may have and tell you more about how I can help you with your case. To schedule your free consultation, call my office directly at 609-900-2648 or send me an email using my online form.