A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a woman with illegally collecting more than $100,000 by defrauding a federal program aimed at helping people who lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, 35-year-old Kylie Charles of Wichita is charged with 17 counts of wire fraud, and 17 counts of aggravated identity theft.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided financial relief to Americans dealing with the economic impacts of the pandemic. The program expanded unemployment benefits to some people who would not typically qualify such as business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, those with a limited work history, and people who lost their business as a result of the pandemic.
Between May 2020 and August 2021, Charles is accused of stealing the identities of people she knew, and using their information without their knowledge nor consent to file false claims in multiple states for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act program.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
In another indictment, ,33-year-old Chad M. Abildgaard of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.