According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri, a woman from Houston has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining over $800,000 in Missouri and CARES Act unemployment benefits. She used the personal information of multiple individuals to carry out this scheme.
Prayshana Washington, 37, received a sentence of three years and one month in federal prison without parole, as declared by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, the court has also directed Washington to reimburse the Missouri Division of Employment Security with $808,019 and the California Employment Development Department with $28,350. In total, Washington is required to pay $836,369 in restitution.
On May 23, 2024, the U.S. attorney’s office confirmed that Washington had pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property.
The department disclosed that Washington confessed to helping submit fraudulent claims, including her own, for unemployment benefits from the state of Missouri.
The U.S. attorney’s office added that these benefits included additional funds provided by the CARES Act.
The U.S. attorney’s office has revealed that Washington engaged in fraudulent activity by submitting 38 successful claims for unemployment benefits. In this scheme, Washington used the names and personal identifying information of individuals from Missouri and other locations.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, these individuals were deemed ineligible to receive Missouri or enhanced unemployment benefits.
The scheme continued for more than a year, with Washington repeatedly making false statements to the Missouri Department of Employment Services, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.