A federal grand jury has indicted two Maryland residents on charges related to a scheme involving more than $1 million in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Daiwor Woah-Tee, 51, from Belcamp, and Dekwii Woah-Tee, 46, from Rosedale, face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The indictment was unsealed following their arrest.
The defendants appeared in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore before Magistrate Judge Charles Austin on December 18, 2024.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced the indictment alongside Special Agent Troy W. Springer from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari from the Department Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General.
According to the indictment, unemployment insurance (UI) is a joint state and federal program providing financial assistance to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. In response to COVID-19, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and benefits.
Applicants for UI benefits in Maryland submitted online applications with personal information such as name and Social Security Number (SSN). They also had to certify a COVID-19-related reason for unemployment or reduced employment status.
From March 2020 to September 2021, it is alleged that the defendants conspired to defraud State Workforce Agencies by impersonating victims using stolen personal information to submit fraudulent UI claims totaling over $1 million.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft. Sentences are determined by a federal judge based on guidelines and statutory factors.
An indictment does not imply guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court proceedings.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is part of five strike forces established by the U.S. Department of Justice targeting COVID-19-related frauds including those under the CARES Act aimed at economic relief during the pandemic.
For further details on pandemic response efforts or reporting attempted fraud involving COVID-19 funds, visit justice.gov/coronavirus or contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended investigative efforts by DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, IRS-CI and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John D’Amico along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared W. Murphy for prosecuting this case.
For more about resources available through Maryland's U.S. Attorney’s Office visit justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.