Two sisters who once worked as call-takers helping Ohioans file unemployment claims during the pandemic are now accused of taking bribes and kickbacks to approve $1.9 million in fraudulent benefits — with one of them allegedly logging back into the state’s system for weeks after she was fired to keep the scheme going.
Joirean Creel, 35, and Adriane Creel, 24, were charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to Cleveland.com. Federal prosecutors say the sisters worked for a subcontractor hired by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and that they abused their access to the agency’s computer system to remove fraud flags and authorize payments they had no legitimate authority to approve.
According to the outlet’s report, the two were hired within a week of each other in February 2021 to work as call-takers, fielding questions and assisting with unemployment applications. Joirean Creel was fired the following month, in March 2021 — but prosecutors say that didn’t stop her from getting back into the ODJFS system. Court filings cited by the same account state she continued using her own login credentials to access the system for weeks after her termination, and later used her sister Adriane’s credentials as well.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
Federal prosecutors allege the sisters approved payments for people they knew personally or who were referred to them by others, accepting bribes and kickbacks through cash-transfer apps and cash payments in exchange. Per the report, the two were paid hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars for each claim they processed. In total, the modified claims resulted in $1.9 million in unemployment benefits being paid out…