Local man whose unemployment checks stopped coming thinks he’s a victim of inmate fraud scheme

PITTSBURGH — More than 30 people in state and local prisons were charged Tuesday with cashing in on false unemployment claims.

Now a local man believes he could be one of their victims. Out of the blue, his unemployment checks stopped showing up, but Pa. officials said the payments are going to somebody.

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Kris Hoskins, a cook who has been out of work for five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had been receiving weekly unemployment benefits until June 18 -- when the checks just stopped showing up. Two months later, Hoskins told Channel 11 he hasn’t been paid a dime.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever see that money,” he said. “Duquesne Light wants to cut my power off. I’m going to lose something; I couldn’t pay August rent.”

But state online records show the date and time each payment was issued, and officials said the money is going somewhere. As Hoskins filed a fraudulent complaint with the Department of Labor and Industry, he heard allegations that inmates in prisons in Pa. allegedly defrauded the unemployment system.

U.S. Attorney Scott Brady announced Tuesday that 33 inmates and their accomplices are accused of filing false and fraudulent statements in order to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits.

Over 10,000 inmates in state facilities have been found trying to apply for unemployment benefits across the state. Each of the inmates received at least $10,000. Brady said over $100 million in fraud related to the unemployment programs has been discovered. Once local prisons were added in, Brady estimated nearly $200 million in fraud was found.

Hoskins told Channel 11 he has completely lost trust in the system that has failed so many hurting Pennsylvanians. The state has an entire website page dedicated to COVID-19 fraud and false unemployment benefits. Click here for more information.

Investigators uncover scheme in which inmates received COVID-19 unemployment money Investigators uncover scheme in which inmates received COVID-19 unemployment money

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