HARRISBURG, Pa. — Five defendants have entered guilty pleas relating to a conspiracy to steal pandemic funds.
According to the United States Attorney's Office, the defendants gathered personal identification information from inmates housed in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections system and filed unemployment claims.
The payments were then mailed to particular addresses in New Cumberland, where the funds were accessed.
According to the attorney's office, the conspirators arranged for the payment of approximately $94,000 in benefits which they were not entitled to obtain.
Alexis Figueroa, 32, from Philadelphia, pled guilty to conspiring with five others to file false claims for unemployment assistance during the pandemic.
Andrew Marszalek, 24, from New Cumberland entered a guilty plea to the fraud conspiracy. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Nicholas Baggio, 32, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. He was sentenced to one year and a day in prison.
Jeovanny Shultz, 28, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Mercer, entered a guilty plea and is awaiting sentencing. Oscar Martinez, 30, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview has also entered a guilty plea and is awaiting sentencing.
Joshua Powles, 33, from Philadelphia, is a wanted fugitive as part of the investigation.
