NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Bronx woman pled guilty in court Tuesday for allegedly using her role at the state Department of Labor to collect over $300,000 — including funds from COVID-19 federal relief programs — by falsifying and submitting 20 unemployment insurance applications.
In pleading guilty, Tramaine Pope, 33, faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Department of Justice said Pope used her employment status and her access to the Department of Labor system to "submit and approve fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using the names and other information she received," including benefits from federal programs intended to benefit out-of-work New Yorkers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tramaine Pope violated the trust of her fellow New Yorkers during a global public health crisis that left so many without work," Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon said. "She was tasked with helping others at a time of substantial need but instead exploited her position for personal gain. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who abuse the public trust, and steal public funds, during this unprecedented pandemic.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service Acting Inspector in-Charge Joshua McCallister called Pope's conduct "unconscionable."
“The actions of Ms. Pope to use the trust given to her by the people of New York and her employer to abuse the system and steal from those who were most in need during the pandemic are unconscionable," he said. "This case is a great example of the collaborative effort of law enforcement to bring those to justice who commit criminal acts against the people of New York.”
Along with her guilty plea and fine, Pope agreed to pay restitution to the over $300,000 she collected to New York and will face a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when she is sentenced in January 2022.