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Man Convicted In Elaborate Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Benefits

Man Convicted In Elaborate Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Benefits

A Virginia-based man has been convicted as part of an elaborate scheme to steal COVID-19 unemployment benefits from people who needed them.

According to an official release from the IRS Criminal Investigation division, Danny L. Mullins, Jr. was convicted on multiple counts after a two-day jury trial.

Mullins was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States, fraud in connection with federal emergency benefits, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. 

Mullins and multiple co-conspirators, including his sister Veronica Mullins, Danielle Chytka, Greg Tackett, and Jeffrey Tackett, stole fraudulent unemployment benefits that were released as part of the government's COVID-19 pandemic relief package.

The IRS noted specifically:

...[Mullins] input his personally identifiable information to the Virginia Employment Commission in order to receive pandemic unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.

In all, the conspiracy involved submitting fraudulent claims for approximately 37 individuals, including multiple inmates incarcerated in southwest Virginia regional jails, all of whom were not eligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, and causing at least $499,000 in false claims to be paid.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Murphy and Lena Busscher.

Mullins will be sentenced on November 7, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a maximum monetary fine of $1,000,000.

This conviction comes as the IRS prepares for a major revamp -- thanks to an additional $80 billion in funding -- that will see the agency focus on targeting white collar tax evaders, like late billionaire Robert Brockman who passed away before his trial could begin.

What do you think about this COVID-19 conspiracy?

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Rebekah Barton

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