Likishe Jhanell Kelly, 43, of Phoenix, Antoinette Coleman, 36, of Glendale, and Christine Boston, 52, of Mesa have been sentenced in connection with a scheme to use the identities of prison inmates and others to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
All three admitted they facilitated the filing of false claims for pandemic unemployment benefits by fraudulently using other identities, including those of imprisoned individuals, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Arizona.
Kelly was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 36 months in prison and mandated to pay $375,094 in restitution to the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Kelly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Nov. 21, 2023.
Coleman was also sentenced last week by Judge Brnovich to five years of probation and mandated to pay $19,678 in restitution to DES. Coleman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Jan. 16, 2024.