A Romanian husband and wife pleaded guilty Thursday in San Diego federal court to fraud and money laundering charges stemming from a $5 million unemployment scam.
They admitted participating in a scheme to steal California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Eduard Buse, 30, and Florentina Sima, 29, were among 14 people indicted in October for recruiting and helping hundreds of people apply for Employment Development Department benefits using fraudulent documents.
In total, nearly $5.2 million in false claims were paid out by the state.
Buse took over $28,000 in benefits personally and also helped secure $244,050 in payouts to 14 people, including his wife, according to his plea agreement.
The couple sent nearly $200,000 in fraud proceeds to Romania, prosecutors said, and Buse also used money gained from the fraud to buy a 2020 BMW X6 for $105,044.
Romanian authorities later seized the BMW, along with cash and several luxury watches, all of which the defendants have agreed to forfeit as part of their pleas.