You are reading

Queens Man Who Allegedly Filed $150K in Bogus Unemployment Claims Busted

iStock

Sept. 10, 2021 By Christian Murray

A 21-year-old Far Rockaway man who allegedly filed bogus claims to collect more than $150,000 in unemployment insurance has been indicted on grand larceny charges, the Queens District Attorney’s office announced Thursday.

Keijohn Graham, of Hanson Court in Far Rockaway, allegedly bilked the system by illegally tapping into the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program authorized under the CARES Act. He allegedly filed fraudulent claims using the names of 13 unknown individuals.

Graham, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, was slapped with a 68-count indictment in Queens County Supreme Court charging him with grand larceny, identity theft, falsifying business records, criminal possession of stolen property and filing false documents. He was arraigned Thursday and ordered to return to court Nov. 30.

“This worldwide health pandemic has been devastating and led to millions of Americans losing their jobs. As alleged, this defendant saw this additional support for the needy as an opportunity to fill his own pockets,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “This fraud during the pandemic costs our country, and our state, billions of dollars.”

Graham was arrested back in March after authorities conducted a court-authorized search of his home and seized numerous documents and credit cards, including 13 Dept. of Labor benefit debit cards. The fraud allegedly took place between October 2020 and March 2021.

“We have zero tolerance for thieves,” said NY Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “Stealing from a system that is providing a lifeline to New Yorkers in need is unconscionable and doing it during a public health crisis is unforgivable.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Ridgewood mother and daughter arrested for attacking woman over parking spot: NYPD

A Ridgewood mother and daughter were arrested Monday after they ambushed a young Black woman who tried to park her car in a spot in front of their apartment building that they frequently cordon off with garbage cans and traffic cones.

A family friend was standing at the northeast corner of Onderdonk Avenue and Putnam Avenue at around 7:30 p.m. when the 21-year-old Jada McPherson tried to park her car in the spot. The man placed a garbage can in her way. She drove off and circled the block multiple times. She tried to pull into the same spot one more time, but the man tried to stop her again. McPherson got out of her car to confront him, and an argument ensued.

Man in his 50s sought for exposing himself to 13-year-old on E train in Forest Hills: NYPD

Police from the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills and Transit District 20 are looking for a suspect who allegedly flashed a 13-year-old girl on a Queens subway train last month.

The victim was riding a southbound E train approaching the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station at around 1 p.m. on Monday, June 30, when she saw a stranger exposing himself to her, police said Wednesday. The perpetrator ran off the train at the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station and fled in an unknown direction. The youngster was not injured during her encounter with the stranger.