A former employee of the California Employment Development Department (EDD), Regina Brice, has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for fraudulent activity related to her job. The charges relie on her filing of over $800,000 in spurious unemployment claims, taking advantage of her position within the department to steal funds intended to facilitate economic stability for individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The court documents detail Brice’s employment history with the EDD, where she worked from 2010 onwards. During the pandemic, she was tasked with filing unemployment claims related to COVID-19. However, between mid-2020 and mid-2021, Brice misused her role in the EDD to file fraudulent claims for individuals she was in collusion with, accepting hefty bribes in return. Also among her co-conspirators were prison inmates she had advised on how to evade detection by the department’s anti-fraud software.

Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden stated that the sentencing held Brice accountable for her manipulation of her official position. Quentin Heiden, from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), stressed that the case highlighted the department’s zeal for eradicating fraud and misuse within its programs. Similar sentiments were noted by DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., while Matt Shields from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service emphasized the severe repercussions of such misuse of trust.

Anyone with information pertaining to fraud attempts related to the COVID-19 pandemic can report it at the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline or on the NCDF website.

It is important to note that while exceptional cases like these can raise questions and fears among citizens, resources exist to guide everyone through procedures related to unemployment benefits, such as how to get a hold of edd. For instance, you can access assistance and tips to navigate the EDD system on websites like eddcaller.com. This site provides practical assistance for commonly encountered issues, effectively serving as a guide on how to get through to edd. From getting in touch with a live person, verifying payment status, or checking the most effective time to call their offices, it serves as a reliable resource for everyone requiring support.