Chicago Man Indicted in Pittsburgh on Mail Fraud Charge relating to Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

PITTSBURGH, PA - One resident of Chicago, IL, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Christian Matthews, 32, as the sole defendant.

According to Indictment, Matthews fraudulently obtained personal identifying information belonging to other people and used it, without permission, to file claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits. The resulting benefits were sent via the United States mail and interstate commercial carriers to locations, including Pittsburgh, PA, where Matthews could retrieve and use them.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The government is requesting detention.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Department of Labor, United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Findlay Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.