Meriden Man Illegally Collected $12K In Unemployment: Authorities

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man is accused of fraudulently collecting nearly $12,000 in unemployment benefits, according to authorities. Antonio Aponte, 44, of Village Lane in Meriden, was arrested this week 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 unemployment compensation fraud.

The arrest is the result of an investigation into a complaint from the Connecticut Department of Labor, which administers the Unemployment Compensation program, according to a press release from the Division of Criminal Justice.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Aponte collected approximately $11,664 in unemployment benefits from September 2016 through March 2017 while he was working and earning wages.

Aponte was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on May 1.

Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community 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. 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.

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