Dental office employees charged with COVID unemployment fraud

MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people from the same Morgantown dental office have been indicted for fraudulently collecting nearly $30,000 in COVID-related unemployment benefits.

Amanda J. Kincell, 42, of Fairview, West Virginia, and Casey Fike, 39, of Morgantown, were charged today by a federal grand jury with multiple counts of wire fraud. According to the indictments, Kincell and Fike filed for unemployment in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the DeVito Dental office to temporarily close. In May 2020, Kincell and Fike returned to a regular work schedule at Devito but continued to request and receive unemployment benefits. Kincell is accused of improperly accepting more than forty payments totaling $18,350. Fike is alleged to have accepted more than twenty improper payments totaling $10,388.

Kincell faces eleven counts of wire fraud while Fike faces six counts.  Each count carries a penalty of up to twenty years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

WorkForce West Virginia investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.

“We continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to methodically review every instance where COVID fraud is suspected, whether it’s related to unemployment benefits, paycheck protection loans, or economic injury disaster loans,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I appreciate the tips provided by the public and encourage their continued submission.”

Anyone aware of COVID fraud should report it via email to wvfraud@fbi.gov, by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.