XPost: alt.los-angeles, alt.society.labor-unions, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: sac.politics, alt.government.employees   
   From: noreply@mixmin.net   
      
   LOS ANGELES - Thirteen LA County employees have been charged with   
   stealing over $430,000 in unemployment benefits.   
      
   According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the 13   
   county employees were from seven different agencies and were charged   
   each with one felony count of grand theft and one lesser misdemeanor   
   offense for stealing a combined $437,383 in state unemployment benefits   
   between 2020 and 2023.   
      
   While working for Los Angeles County and receiving paychecks, the   
   defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims   
   to the California Employment Development Department, falsely claiming   
   they earned less than $600 per week during each two-week claim period.   
      
   However, the employees earned more than $600 a week, making them   
   ineligible for unemployment benefits.   
      
   What they're saying:   
   "It is shocking that these county employees who are receiving their   
   county check every single two weeks are also telling EDD at the same   
   time that they're unemployed and they receive no money. We will not   
   tolerate this type of illegal conduct by anyone, but especially by   
   county employees," Hochman said during a press conference Wednesday.   
      
   "As government employees, we have an obligation to uphold the public’s   
   trust. When a civil servant steals from the government, that trust is   
   broken. The scale of fraud in these cases is shocking, spanning seven   
   different County agencies, including employees whose very job was to   
   help the public determine whether they were eligible for public   
   benefits."   
      
   The following cases were filed on Oct. 9 and 10:   
      
   Alla Agamalian, 42, a Justice, Care and Opportunity Department   
   administrative services manager who allegedly stole $37,800 in   
   unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;   
      
   Aurora Lopez Bautista, 57, a Department of Public Social Services   
   eligibility worker who allegedly stole $9,349 in benefits between April   
   1, 2020, and Jan. 10, 2022;   
      
   Derrick Anthony Callella, 42, a Department of Health Services   
   intermediate clerk who allegedly stole $9,984 in unemployment benefits   
   between May 6, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2022;   
      
   Donisha Nicole Brumfield, 42, a Child Support Services Department   
   secretary who allegedly stole $39,600 in unemployment benefits between   
   Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;   
      
   Ivan Jacob Mariscal, 49, a Department of Public Social Services   
   eligibility worker who allegedly stole $11,700 in benefits between May   
   6, 2020, and May 11, 2022;   
      
   Jessica Antonia Chandler, 37, a Department of Children and Family   
   Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $48,900 in   
   unemployment benefits between July 12, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2022;   
      
   Chandra Kameko Tisdale, 49, a Department of Children and Family Services   
   children's social worker who allegedly stole $57,900 in unemployment   
   benefits between March 22, 2020, and Oct. 23, 2021;   
      
   Kelley Collins, 55, a department of Public Social Services eligibility   
   supervisor who allegedly stole $56,400 in unemployment benefits between   
   March 8, 2020, and Oct. 15, 2021;   
      
   Mary Theresa Thomas, 55, a Department of Children and Family Services   
   children's social worker who allegedly stole $10,350 in unemployment   
   benefits between Sept. 24, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2021;   
      
   Raquel Martinez-Alvarez, 40, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department   
   nonworn security employee who allegedly stole $54,900 in unemployment   
   benefits between April 12, 2020, and Oct. 9, 2021;   
      
   Shalita Viola Hammell, 46, a Department of Children and Family Services   
   human services aide who allegedly stole $35,850 in unemployment benefits   
   between Nov. 6, 2020, and Dec. 2, 2021;   
      
   Toni Chereece Pittmon, 56, a Department of Children and Family Services   
   secretary who allegedly stole $52,950 in unemployment benefits between   
   July 1, 2020, and Dec. 12, 2022; and   
      
   Ynna Aghabegian, 34, a Department of Auditor-Controller senior   
   accountant-auditor who allegedly stole $11,700 in unemployment benefits   
   between Oct. 21, 2021, and April 2022.   
      
   What's next:   
      
   If convicted as charged, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of   
   three years in state prison.   
      
   https://www.foxla.com/news/la-county-employees-charged-edd-fraud   
      
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