Providence Man Pleads To Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $73,000 In Unemployment Insurance Benefits

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence man took a plea deal on Monday in connection with charges he collected more than $73,000 in unemployment benefits while he was working. According to state Atty. Gen. Peter Kilmartin, Derek O’Connor, 49, was charged with one count of obtaining money under false pretenses and one count of fraudulent access to a computer. He pleaded nolo contendere before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers.

Under the terms of the plea, O’Connor was sentenced to 30 days to serve followed by seven years and 11 months suspended with probation. In addition, he was ordered to pay $73,459 in restitution at minimum monthly payments of $150.

According to Kilmartin's office, between January 1, 2009 and December 23, 2013, O’Connor failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RIDLT) when he called in to the RIDLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While O’Connor was collecting unemployment insurance benefits he was working for the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) Locals 1329 and 2001 loading and unloading ships at the Ports of Providence and Quonset. The State was also prepared to prove that on dates between November 10, 2013 and December 23, 2013, O’Connor accessed a computer system for the purpose of obtaining money by means of false pretenses.

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