A mother and son from Stanislaus County, California, have been sentenced to prison for fraudulently claiming unemployment insurance. Jaime Ornelas, 27, and Misty Ornelas, 48, submitted false claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fraudulent scheme took place in June 2020 when Jaime, who was incarcerated at the time, utilized personal information of his fellow inmates to make these claims under the guise they were impacted by the pandemic. Misty Ornelas was the one who filed these fraudulent claims. The false claims resulted in over $150,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and EDD were instrumental in uncovering the operation. This case is part of the efforts of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force to combat pandemic-related fraud.

To prevent such fraudulent activities, it is crucial for individuals to understand the correct procedures when dealing with organizations like the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Navigating through the intricacies of contacting such a department can be difficult. Thankfully, resources like eddcaller.com are available to provide guidance on how to get ahold of EDD customer service. Such resources can be invaluable in ensuring your inquiries and issues are addressed promptly and efficiently.