The Center Square reports an indictment against a California man, suspect of defrauding the federal government of over $100,000 in unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Robert James Waff, 49, of Sacramento, allegedly applied for unemployment insurance on the California Employment Development Department (EDD) website, while simultaneously residing and working in Utah.

The indictment is premised on Waff claiming he had lost his annual $44,000 job due to the pandemic, where according to the investigation he ultimately received $36,000 in fraudulent payments. Furthermore, as per the indictment, Waff is believed to have assisted three others in submitting fraudulent applications for COVID-19 unemployment benefits from California EDD, while none of them lived or worked in California. The accumulated fraudulent claims surpass $100,000.

Waff’s charges include one count of wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud aiding and abetting, and four counts of mail fraud aiding and abetting. His initial court appearance is scheduled for January 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City’s Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse. Charges were investigated collectively by the FBI Salt Lake City Division and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the case being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Williams of the District of Utah.