New Rochelle Man Gets Prison In Massive Pandemic Fraud, Identity Theft Case: Feds

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A Westchester County man has been sentenced for his role in an identity theft plot to embezzle federal pandemic relief funds.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations; and Anthony P. D'Esposito, Inspector General, United States Department of Labor, announced that 30-year-old Aly Kaba, of New Rochelle, was sentenced on Friday to 54 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits using stolen identities.

The judge also ordered a three-year term of supervised release to follow Kaba's release from prison, in addition to a total of $182,227 in restitution to the States of New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and forfeiture of a money judgment.

"Kaba thought his fraud would get him some new gear and luxury vacations, but in the end, all he got was a trip to federal prison and a jumpsuit," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said. "Today's sentence demonstrates, once again, that my office and our partners will bring to justice anyone who fraudulently exploits a crisis to steal from taxpayers. Thank you to our federal law enforcement partners for all their great work throughout this investigation."

SEE ALSO:

• Rolex, Lavish Travel Funded By New Rochelle Man's Pandemic Fraud Scheme
• New Rochelle Man Charged In Pandemic Fraud and Identity Theft Plot

According to court documents, in late 2020, Kaba conspired with his former roommate, Tony Brobbey, and fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits from the NYS Department of Labor worth more than $150,000, which prosecutors say Kaba used on overseas travel and a Rolex watch. In order to make the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, Kaba used several stolen identities, including a victim named J.F., a victim named J.M., as well as two men who died more than ten years before the pandemic. Kaba's fraudulent claims sought more than $600,000 in benefits.

"The deliberate use of someone else's identity for financial gain creates considerable impacts. We will thoroughly investigate cases when individuals falsely obtain benefits they are not entitled to," USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge Bucciarelli said. "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works alongside our federal law enforcement partners to conduct investigations like these, to preserve the integrity of the programs that are designed to provide financial assistance to those in need."

Brobbey previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced in January to three years of probation with 24 consecutive weekends in jail and restitution to victims.

"This defendant took advantage of a national emergency to line his own pockets — using deception and stolen identities to siphon off unemployment benefits meant for people truly in need. That's not just fraud, it's theft from the American taxpayer," USDOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan R. Mellone said. "At the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, we are relentless in protecting the integrity of our unemployment insurance programs. We will continue working hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to track down fraudsters, bring charges, and ensure accountability. If you try to exploit these benefits for personal gain, we will find you."

This case was investigated by USPIS, HSI, and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's NY Field Office and the NYS Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping and Joshua R. Rosenthal prosecuted the case.