COURT DOC: Defendant Charged In $1.4 Million Covid-19 Fraud Scheme

DOJ announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging ELVIN GERMAN with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme that resulted in the loss of more than $1.4 million from the New York Department of Labor (‘NY DOL’). GERMAN was arrested on March 16, 2021 in the Bronx, New York.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said, As alleged, Elvin German used the identities of over 250 unknowing victims to file false claims in order to receive over $1.4 million in COVID-19 unemployment benefits. But investigators were able to detect a pattern to his alleged scam, partly because German typically used the same IP address and security question and answer the name of family dog, Benji to illegally submit applications on the DOLs website. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)