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LA County Charges 11 More Employees in $740,000 Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Case

Prosecutors plan to seek restitution following county repayment to the state.

Overview

  • The latest filings bring the total charged to 24 county workers accused of submitting fraudulent EDD claims between 2020 and 2023.
  • Officials say the group allegedly sought more than $740,000 in benefits despite full-time county employment and incomes of at least $3,000 per month.
  • Prosecutors allege over 40 false income certifications were filed under penalty of perjury to obtain the payments.
  • One defendant, Georgette McKinney, is accused of using her own identity and 28 fictitious identities to take more than $130,000 and faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
  • Most defendants face a maximum three-year term, and the Auditor-Controller estimates broader unemployment fraud tied to county identities has cost more than $3.5 million.