North Texas Tele-center worker convicted of identity theft and mail fraud
AUSTIN – A former Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) employee has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for fraudulently claiming $37,344 in Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Deshon Haynes of Fort Worth was convicted of aggravated identity theft and mail fraud after evidence showed that she had diverted benefit payments for two deceased individuals and at least five other unemployment claimants to her home address. In addition to the jail time, Haynes was ordered to pay full restitution.
TWC investigators uncovered the fraud and worked closely with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General to investigate the former Tele-center employee. Haynes pled guilty to aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth in January.
TWC’s Regulatory Integrity Division (RID) is charged with detecting and preventing fraud, waste and abuse. RID enforces all regulatory statutes within the jurisdiction of the agency, including Tax, Workforce, Trade Act, Skills Development Fund, Self-Sufficiency Fund, Child Care Development Fund and all other programs that TWC administers. Prevention, detection, and elimination of fraud, waste and abuse in the UI benefits program are top priorities, ensuring funds are available exclusively to those who meet the eligibility requirements.
TWC administers UI benefits to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own and are actively seeking work. TWC regularly cross matches UI claims with employer wage reports and other databases to detect possible UI fraud. If TWC discovers that claimants have received UI benefits through fraudulent applications, the agency seeks immediate reimbursement of overpayments. Examples of UI fraud include giving false information and failure to report self-employment or other earnings while receiving UI benefits. To report suspected UI fraud, call the TWC Fraud and Program Abuse Hotline at (800) 252-3642.