Feds: Woman bilked $300K in COVID-19 unemployment scheme

Jill Harmacinski, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·3 min read

Apr. 6—BOSTON — A Lawrence woman accused of being involved in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $300,000 in COVID-19-related unemployment assistance is facing a series of federal charges , authorities said.

Raquel Pena, 40, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to federal court records

After an initial appearance Friday in U.S. District Court she was released on a $250,000 bond, ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device, and a judge barred her from opening any bank account or unemployment claim, among other conditions.

The $250,000 bond was secured by a home Pena owns at 41 Market St. in Lawrence, according to court records.

Pena filed fraudulent claims for unemployment using other people's personally identifiable information, including names, Social Security Numbers and addresses, according to an affidavit filed by Boston FBI agent Andrea Sciolino.

"Pena recruited acquaintances to receive the proceeds of the fraudulent claims into their bank accounts, withdraw all or a portion of those funds and give the cash to Pena. The investigation allegedly connected Pena and her co-conspirators to more than $300,000 in unemployment claims between May 2020 and March 2021," according to a statement on the case released by the Department of Justice.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, provides unemployment insurance benefits to individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits, including the self-employed, independent contractors or gig economy workers, according to the DOJ statement.

Some of the payments Pena arranged exceeded $5,000, according to Sciolino's affidavit, which she filed to the criminal complaint, her arrest warrant and a search warrant for her Lawrence home.

One payment to a Lawrence resident for $917 is listed as evidence in the case. Pena is accused of telling the person receiving the payment to immediately "take it all out and stash it. Don't leave it in the bank," according to the affidavit.

In November, as part of Pena's case, Sciolino interviewed a man in Puerto Rico who said he never worked or lived in Massachusetts, never applied to unemployment benefits and did not know Pena.

Yet, a payment is listed in his name with a Lowell Street, Methuen, address attached to it, Sciolino wrote in the affidavit filed April 1.

Pena, a native of the Dominican Republic, is accused of keeping a notebook with the names, Social Security numbers, addresses and other personal information of those she filed for benefit payments. Also, she is accused of working with a former roommate, a former boyfriend and her daughter's boyfriend in the scheme, according to court papers.

The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

Friday, after her initial appearance in federal court in Boston and release, Pena was ordered to submit to supervision by federal probation. She was also court ordered to look for employment, surrender her passport and not to apply for any other travel document while the case is pending.

Additionally, if Pena has any contact with law enforcement she must report the report it to federal probation within 24 hours and she must use her "true name and identities at all times."

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance assisted in the investigation.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.

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