Scott Christie, a 38-year-old resident of Petrolia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to four years of federal probation and must pay $24,338 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. The sentence was delivered in Huntington, West Virginia. Christie fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits amounting to $24,338, including COVID-19 supplementary funds while living in Leon, West Virginia.
Court documents reveal that Christie applied for unemployment benefits from WorkForce West Virginia during two periods: February 29 to August 22 in 2020 and February 27 to August 14 in 2021. During these times, he submitted 50 weekly certifications that did not disclose his employment status. Consequently, he received 52 payments totaling $24,338 from WorkForce West Virginia.
The fraudulent benefits included supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) under the CARES Act. In his submissions, Christie falsely claimed unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the investigation by the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers handed down the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established on May 17, 2021, by the Attorney General to combat pandemic-related fraud. This task force coordinates with various government agencies to investigate and prosecute domestic and international criminal actors involved in such schemes.
Information regarding attempted COVID-19 related fraud can be reported via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through their web complaint form.
Further details about this case are available on PACER under Case No. 3:24-cr-107 and on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.