DETROIT — A contract employee for the state of Michigan has been charged in a scheme that saw the fraudulent disbursement of more than $2 million in unemployment insurance funding intended to help people during the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider’s office says 39-year-old Brandi Hawkins of Detroit worked in the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency with duties that included reviewing, processing and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims for the state.
The office says that starting in April, insider access was used to release federal and state funds on hundreds of fraudulent claims.
A search of Hawkins’ home later turned up over $200,000 in cash.
More on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
