Theft Of $29,000 In Unemployment Benefits Reported In Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 50-year-old Bridgeport woman was arrested Wednesday and charged with illegally collecting almost $29,000 in Unemployment Compensation benefits, according to state officials.

Tracey E. Brown, of Mencel Circle, was arrested by Inspectors from the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and charged with one count each of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and felony unemployment compensation fraud.

"The arrest is the result of an investigation into a complaint by the Connecticut Department of Labor, which administers the Unemployment Compensation program," stated officials.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Brown fraudulently collected approximately $28,628 in unemployment benefits from December 2011 through September 2014 when she had, in fact, worked for six temporary staffing agencies.

Brown was released after posting a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on Feb. 1. The charges are merely accusations and she is presumed innocent unless and until she is found guilty.

The first charge listed above is a Class B felony "punishable by not less than one year nor more than 20 years in prison and/or up to a $15,000 fine," according to state officials. The charge of unemployment compensation fraud in excess of $500 is a Class D felony "punishable by not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine."

The case is being prosecuted by the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit, which was established under a partnership between the Division of Criminal Justice and the Department of Labor to investigate and prosecute fraud in the Unemployment Compensation program. It is financed with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

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