News from March 2023
Equal Pay Day 2023: Department of Labor initiatives seek to close gender, racial wage gap, increase equity in federal programs
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
For women working in the U.S., the date of Equal Pay Day isn’t a day of celebration. Rather, the day is a reminder that it takes women 15 months to earn the same amount as men earned in 12 months.
Former Louisiana Woman Pled Guilty To Preparing Over 110 Fraudulent PPP Loans Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that SHARNAE EVERY (“EVERY”), age 27, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty on March 2, 2023 to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
Army Servicemember Stationed at Fort Bragg Indicted in Connection With Romance Scams and COVID19 Assistance Fraud
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was arrested Wednesday upon the unsealing of a 19-count indictment that included charges of Money Laundering, Fraud, Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Access Device Fraud in connection with multiple interstate and international fraud and money-laundering scams.
Miami-Based Social Media Influencer Pleads Guilty to $1.5 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A Miami woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $1 million in pandemic-related loans using the stolen identities of more than 10 individuals, and then using those funds for personal expenses, including chartering a private jet and rental of a luxury apartment.
Two Capital Region Men Plead Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud Conspiracy
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Taquan Parker, age 26, of Rensselaer, New York, and Olajuwon Sutherland, a/k/a “Suave,” age 27, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to engaging in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $100,000 in unemployment insurance benefits under the names of other people, including benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
L.A. Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for $5.5 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Scam, Tax Fraud and Drug Trafficking
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A downtown Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 292 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining nearly $5.5 million in COVID-related jobless benefits by using the identities of California state prison inmates and other third parties, trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, and seeking to fraudulently obtain more than $356,400 in tax refunds
Maryland Defense Contractor Convicted for Procurement Fraud after Nine-Day Trial
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Misrepresented to the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor the Condition of the Equipment and Provided Fraudulent Documentation Concerning His Company’s Certifications
Former Claims Examiner for Michigan Unemployment Agency Pleads Guilty In COVID-19 Fraud Scheme
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A former unemployment examiner for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to steal federal unemployment insurance benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today
Two Former Directors of Boston Nonprofit Indicted on Additional Fraud Charges
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
The former founder and chief executive of the local nonprofit Violence in Boston (VIB) and her husband, also a former founding director of the organization, have been charged in a superseding indictment today charging additional schemes to defraud the City of Boston out of COVID-19 relief funds and rental assistance money.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Urbana, Illinois, Women for Wire Fraud Related to COVID Relief Funds
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A grand jury returned an indictment on March 8, 2023, against two Urbana, Illinois, women, Tasheena White, 32, of the 2400 block of Goodfield Drive, and Uniqua Whitaker, 26, of the 1200 block of Clifford Drive, charging each with one count of wire fraud related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans
Former Union Officer Sentenced to Incarceration for Embezzling More Than $500,000
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Attia Little, 43, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to steal more than $500,000 from the labor organization, using the money for parties, trips, furniture, and other personal expenses. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta also ordered $399,450 in restitution and 24 months of supervised release to follow the prison term.
Houma Man Indicted for Mail Fraud and Making False Statements to Federal Agents
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DONDRE MORGAN, (“MORGAN”), age 31, of Houma, LA, was indicted on March 10, 2023 on two (2) counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341 and one (1) count of Making False Statements to Federal Agents in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2).
Former Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Admits Role In Health Care And Wire Fraud Conspiracy
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
A former pharmaceutical sales representative today admitted defrauding New Jersey state and local health benefits programs and other insurers by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Republicans Uphold Commitment to America, Reintroduce Parents Bill of Rights
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05) introduced H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. With 73 Republican co-sponsors, Letlow’s bill delivers on a key promise of the Commitment to America and puts in place concrete legal protections that will ensure parents always have a seat at the table when it comes to their child’s education.
Following Starbucks’ Response to Subpoena Vote, Sanders Reiterates Request for CEO Schultz to Testify
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Following Starbucks’ response today to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee’s upcoming vote on a subpoena for CEO Howard Schultz to testify on the coffee giant’s lack of compliance with federal labor law, Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent the following letter to the company reiterating the committee’s request for Schultz to appear.
Ranking Member Cassidy on President Biden’s “Irresponsible” Budget
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the provisions included in President Biden's FY 2024 budget that are under committee’s jurisdiction.
Ranking Member Cassidy Demands Answers on HHS Promoting “AbortionFinder” Website, Targeting of Minors to Get Abortions Without Parents’ Knowledge
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, rebuked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for promoting the website AbortionFinder.org, a third-party website that promotes abortion providers and provides minors as young as “15 and younger” with information about how to obtain an abortion without parental knowledge.
Ranking Member Cassidy, Scott Highlight Republicans’ Efforts to Protect American Workers Ahead of HELP Hearing Pushing Big Labor and the Radical PRO Act
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Tim Scott (R-SC) highlighted Republican efforts to protect American workers ahead of today’s HELP Committee hearing on labor relations in the United States. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chair of the HELP Committee, is expected to tout big labor unions after reintroducing the radical Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.
CBO: Biden’s Backup Student Loan Scheme will Cost Taxpayers $230 Billion
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) announcement that President Biden’s reckless income-driven repayment (IDR) rule will cost American taxpayers $230 billion over the next ten years
Sanders Announces Starbucks’ Schultz to Testify Before HELP Committee
By DOL Newswire Reports | Mar 17, 2023
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) issued the following statement after Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz agreed to testify before the committee on Wednesday, March 29