Thirteen Los Angeles County employees face grand theft charges after they were accused of applying for and receiving more than $437,000 in COVID-19 relief funds while still employed by, and receiving paychecks from the county, authorities said Wednesday, Oct. 15.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in an afternoon press conference that the employees received state unemployment benefits between 2020 and 2023. They each face one count of grand theft and one lesser misdemeanor offense.
“It is shocking that these county employees that are receiving their county check every two weeks are telling EDD that we are unemployed and are receiving no money,” Hochman said.
The 13 employees identified by the DA’s office had received anywhere from $9,000 to more than $50,000 in unemployment benefits during the time period, Hochman said. They allegedly submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, under penalty of perjury, that they earned less than $600 per week during each two-week claim period.
Five of the defendants worked for the Department of Children and Family Services, three worked for the Department of Public Social Services and one each worked for the Justice, Care and Opportunity Department, Child Support Services, the Department of Health Services, the Department of Auditor-Controller, and one was a non-sworn employee for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the DA’s office said.
“When a civil servant steals from the government, that trust is broken,” Hochman said. “Most egregiously, these individuals allegedly claimed to be unemployed during the COVID pandemic when millions of Californians were legitimately in need of unemployment benefits.”
Each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of three years in state prison if convicted as charged.
Hochman said the county’s Auditor-Controller’s Office of County Investigations was continuing to investigate whether other county employees were involved.
The DA said his office was limited by a statute of limitations, meaning they can only charge employees who have received unemployment benefits within the past four years. Hochman said his predecessor, former DA George Gascon, did not focus on “those types of crimes.”
The Auditor-Controller’s Office estimates that the county has lost more than $3.75 million due to pandemic unemployment insurance fraud either by LA County employees or by criminals at large fraudulently using LA County employees’ identities, the DA’s office said.
“The overwhelming majority of people who are working for the county are doing a fantastic job,” Hochman said. “But for those greedy fraudsters who are working for the county and they’re trying to rip it off with COVID relief, or worker’s compensation…we’re coming after you.”