Albany, NY (WRGB) — Joseph Osei, a Canadian citizen formerly residing in Albany, has been sentenced to 54 months in prison for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to obtain COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits using stolen identities. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, alongside officials from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
In a release, trial evidence revealed that from August to November 2020, Osei fraudulently secured over $200,000 in unemployment benefits from the New York State Department of Labor. According to the release, he also targeted workforce agencies in California, Rhode Island, and Arizona. In May, a jury found Osei guilty on all counts, including mail fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino ordered Osei to serve a 3-year supervised release following his prison term and to pay restitution totaling $211,360 to New York and Arizona. Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone condemned Osei’s actions, stating,…