Beaty enlisted the help of five family members who have been convicted alongside her
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Roshell Beaty, 46, of Benton Harbor, was sentenced to 124 months in prison for her role related to pandemic fraud schemes used to obtain over $1 million in COVID-19 relief. Beaty previously pled guilty to two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
“Federal pandemic dollars were meant to protect people who had fallen on hard times,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Beaty and her co-defendants deliberately devised a multi-state plan to commit fraud and steal over a million dollars. My office will continue to aggressively hold accountable scam artists and cheats who steal hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”
Beaty and her family stole $1,036,870 in money intended to help people during the COVID pandemic. During COVID, the federal government provided money to states to distribute to people who could not work. Beaty and her co-defendants stole $749,086 of unemployment insurance money to which they were not entitled from Michigan, California, Indiana, Illinois, and Arizona. They did this by filing unemployment insurance claims in their own names in multiple states, often states where they did not live or work. Beaty also filed unemployment insurance claims in the names of other people by using fake identification documents. Beaty and her co-defendants also stole $287,784 in loans intended for businesses suffering decreased business due to the COVID pandemic. Beaty was the leader of the group, and she enlisted the help of five family members to file fraudulent claims. Those family members have all been convicted for their role in the conspiracy. The previous press release can be viewed by visiting the following link Six Defendants Charged In $1 Million Covid Fraud Schemes.
“The blatant disregard by the defendant to defraud unemployment insurance and loan programs during the COVID-19 pandemic while many individuals and families were struggling was staggering,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “Providing false information to fraudulently gain access to relief funds is a theft of taxpayer money. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and hold those accountable who seek to defraud government assistance programs.”
"Roshel Beaty defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by filing false unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Beaty stole benefits intended to assist those who became unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit these benefit programs.”
“This sentencing wraps up yet another successful anti-fraud case for UIA’s investigators who work closely with our law enforcement partners at the state and federal levels to stop fraudsters,” said Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale. “Our agency has increased its staffing in the Fraud and Investigations Division to allocate even more resources to catching bad actors who steal from Michigan taxpayers and bringing them to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the Michigan Department of Labor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General.
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U.S. Department
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