Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that two individuals have pleaded to unemployment insurance benefit fraud of nearly $24,000.
"Week after week, we continue to successfully prosecute individuals who think they can cheat our unemployment insurance benefit system," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "It is my hope that those who are contemplating defrauding the system see our track record and decide it's not worth being prosecuted over."
Christenzio Mangione (age 45), of North Kingstown, pleaded nolo contendere today before Superior Court Magistrate Patrick Burke to one count of obtaining money under false pretenses over $1,500 for collecting over $14,000 in unemployment insurance benefits while he was working. Under the terms of the plea, Mangione was sentenced to 10 years suspended with probation and ordered to pay $14,202 in 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 dates between June 18, 2011 and October 24, 2011, Mangione failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RDLT) when he called in to the RIDLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While Mangione was collecting unemployment insurance benefits, he was working for Custom Iron Works, Inc. in Coventry, RI.
Charles Gale (33) with a last known address of 197 Kenyon Avenue, Pawtucket, RI pleaded nolo contendere yesterday before Superior Court Magistrate John J. Flynn to one count of obtaining money under false pretenses over $1,500 for collecting more than $9,000 in unemployment insurance benefits while he was working. Gale was sentenced to four years suspend with probation and he was ordered to pay $ $9,680 in restitution, which he paid in full at the time of the plea.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on or about dates between November 30, 2013 and May 27, 2014, Gale failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to RIDLT when he called in to the RIDLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While Gale was collecting unemployment insurance benefits, he was working for Dan's Place in West Greenwich, Pamfilios, Inc., in Cumberland, and Capriccios, Inc., in Providence.
The cases were initiated by RI DLT fraud investigators 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.