Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that two individuals pleaded nolo contendere yesterday to unemployment insurance benefit fraud with court-ordered restitution in excess of $14,000.
Jonathan Flores, aka Jonathan Torres, (age 27), of Pawtucket pleaded nolo contendere before Superior Court Justice Maureen Keough to one count of obtaining money under false pretenses for collecting $7,273 in employment insurance benefits while he was working. Flores was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay restitution at a rate of no less than $125 per month.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on diverse dates between April 12, 2014 and July 31, 2014, Flores failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RI DLT) when he called in to the RI DLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While Torres was collecting unemployment benefits he was working for ServePro in Providence.
Robert Wright (age 71) of Warwick, also pleaded nolo contendere yesterday before Justice Keough to one count of obtaining money under false pretense for collecting $6,981 in unemployment insurance benefits while he was working, Wright was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay restitution at a rate of no less than $120 per month.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on diverse dates between December 18, 2010 and January 17, 2012, Wright failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to the RI DLT when he called in to the RI DLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While Wright was collecting unemployment benefits he was working for MF Construction in Portsmouth.
"Nearly every month, my Office is successfully prosecuting another individual for defrauding our unemployment insurance system," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "The partnership between my Office, RI DLT and the Rhode Island State Police is an excellent example of state agencies working cooperatively to stop fraud and abuse in our social service programs."
The cases were initiated by RI DLT fraud investigator Andrew Allin and then referred to the Rhode Island State Police where the investigations were led by Investigator Michael Douglas. Special Assistant Attorney General Carole L. McLaughlin prosecuted the cases on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.
The Office of Attorney General is assigned a prosecutor devoted exclusively to prosecuting fraud cases referred by the RI DLT involving unemployment insurance benefits fraud, workers' compensation fraud, prevailing wage violations, and labor standards violations. The prosecutor in this position is solely responsible for screening, charging, prosecuting, tracking, and reporting case results to RI DLT and the Office of Attorney General.