Mississippi inmate pleads guilty to fraud in unemployment scheme, state says

JACKSON, Miss. — State Auditor Shad White announced that Kenjarell Thomas, an inmate, pleaded guilty to charges including identity theft, fraud, and wire fraud.

White said Thomas, while incarcerated, applied for unemployment benefits using personal information from other prisoners and used his mother’s address to receive payments. The auditor’s office found that Mississippi distributed more than half a billion dollars in illegal unemployment compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hinds County Circuit Court sentenced Thomas to 15 years in prison and ordered him to pay $37,470.53 in restitution. Officials encourage the public to report suspected fraud by clicking the red button on the auditor’s website or calling 1-800-321-1275 during business hours.

Source: Original Article