Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Bruce O. DaSilva, age 33, with a last known address of 15 Aetna Street, Central Falls, pled nolo contendere earlier this week before Providence Superior Court Justice Luis M. Matos to One Count of Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses for collecting more than $20,000 in Unemployment Insurance benefits while he was working for East Coast Auto Sales and Service in Attleboro, MA.
DaSilva was sentenced to 10 years probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,195 to the State of Rhode Island.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that between June 11, 2011 and January 14, 2012, DaSilva called into the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RI-DLT) Teleserve automated payment system and failed to report any income he received while employed by East Coast Auto Sales & Service, fraudulently authorizing unemployment benefit payments.
DaSilva was required to report any earnings when he called the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Teleserve automated payment system each week to certify for his weekly UI payment using his personal pin number.
"The partnership between DLT, the Rhode Island State Police and my office to investigate and prosecute individuals who defraud our unemployment insurance program, essentially stealing from businesses and taxpayers who fund the system, continues to prove to be effective in curbing abuses of the our safety net programs," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.
"Everybody loses when somebody games the system. Today's successful outcome of a defendant who was 'working and collecting' should serve as a reminder to all UI customers," said DLT Director Charles J. Fogarty. "DLT is always watching for suspicious payment activity and when warranted, always ready to collaborate with our partners, the Rhode Island State Police and the Attorney General's Office, to investigate, prosecute and recoup ill-gotten money to the UI Trust Fund."
The investigation was led by Detective Sergeant Christopher J. Dicomitis, of the Rhode Island State Police Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Unit. Special Assistant Attorney General Genevieve Allaire Johnson prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General and the State of Rhode Island. Allaire Johnson prosecutes all unemployment insurance fraud, worker's compensation fraud, prevailing wage violations and labor standards fraud cases.