14 MI Residents Charged In Multi-State Unemployment Fraud: DOJ

DETROIT—14 Michigan residents are facing charges of unemployment fraud across multiple states, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.

The DOJ alleges they worked together to receive unemployment benefits they weren't entitled to by using names of other people who were not eligible for benefits and were unaware their names were being used. They also used the names in many different states, the DOJ said.

The Detroit News reported they used fake email accounts and stolen personal information to make claims in Michigan, California, Montana, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Texas and Washington state. The scheme ran from Feb. 1 2020 to Jan. 26, 2021.

Charged in the indictment are:

• Sharodney Harrison, 36, of Detroit;
• Seandrea Crawford, 27, of Detroit;
• Sharrell Harrison, 33, of Eastpointe;
• Sha-Ron Harrison, 31, of Harper Woods;
• Sharease Harrison, 35 of Detroit;
• Edward Taylor, 36, of Detroit;
• James Mayfied, 36, of Detroit;
• Frank Jennings, 43, of Dearborn Heights; and
• Sharonda Griffin, 31, of Center Line.

Related charges include:

• Brandi Randall, 35, of Detroit, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Eric Matthews, 27, of Detroit, with wire fraud;
• Lenora Calliway, 35, of Highland Park, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud;
• Steven Johnson, 32, of Detroit, with wire fraud; and
• Tyshia Coleman, 37, of Detroit, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Another criminal complaint charges Sharodney Harrison with being a felon in possession of firearms.

"These defendants are charged with exploiting the pandemic to steal unemployment benefits earmarked for the people of the State of Michigan for their own personal gain. These allegations are serious, and my office is committed to prosecuting any person who attempts to use the Covid-19 crisis to defraud the people of Michigan or the United States," stated Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.

The Eastern District of Michigan has now charged a total of 37 people with federal crimes relating to fraudulently seeking pandemic unemployment insurance benefits since June 2020.

Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region, Irene Lindow also joined Mohsin in unsealing the charges and criminal complaints.

"An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of unemployment insurance fraud. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations," stated Special Agent-in-Charge Irene Lindow, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.