Delco Caregiver Used Client Info To Get Pandemic Funds: State AG

DARBY, PA — A Darby man who was a caregiver has been accused of using his clients' information to fraudulently get nearly $90,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funding.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Nelson Fornah, 35, of Darby, used the stolen and false information of seven disabled clients in Delaware and Montgomery counties to apply for and receive a total of $89,418.82 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.

Fornah has been charged with identity theft, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, unlawful use of a computer, criminal use of a communications facility, access device fraud, tampering with public records, theft by deception, and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception.

According to authorities, Fornah in July 2020 used his clients' personal information to fraudulently obtain PUA funds.

Though he created phony email addresses for the victims of his scheme, the phone numbers on each application were his own, authorities said.

When he would obtain the loaded U.S. Bank cards, the accounts were quickly depleted through multiple ATM withdrawals and purchases at various locations in Delaware and Montgomery counties, according to authorities.

In December 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (PA L&I) requested additional verification for the PUA accounts opened by Fornah.

A Grand Jury learned that applicants are often asked to verify their identities through ID.me, a third-party vendor utilized by the state to reduce fraud. The ID.me program allows users to provide credentials during video calls where the applicants speak with the vendor directly.

The Grand Jury saw recorded ID.me sessions involving individuals victimized by Fornah, authorities said.

The video calls showed that though only the victim appears on screen, it was apparent someone was off camera speaking for the individuals and showing the required identification information in front of the camera, authorities said.

The Grand Jury also saw the victims appeared to be incoherent and unaware of their surroundings, and in some cases, distressed and confused at what was occurring, according to authorities.

In addition to submitting fraudulent PUA applications with stolen information, Fornah also fraudulently applied for and was denied PUA benefits using his own information, even though records confirm he remained fully employed prior to and through the pandemic, authorities said.

After the rejection by Labor and Industry, he lied about his employment status to apply for the standard Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits and received more than $14,000 as a result, according to authorities.

Fornah also attempted to use his clients' stolen personal identifying information to apply for unemployment benefits from the New Jersey, authorities said.