A federal grand jury has indicted Phoebe Trinh, also known as Phuong Trinh Ngoc Vo, a 31-year-old resident of Kapolei, Hawaii. The indictment includes nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft related to fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance.
The charges focus on the misuse of unemployment insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) programs. These programs were established under the CARES Act in 2020 to support workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic who were not eligible for traditional state benefits.
According to the indictment, Trinh submitted false claims for unemployment benefits to the Hawaii Department of Industrial and Labor Relations (DLIR), falsely certifying her unemployment status to receive payments unlawfully. Furthermore, she allegedly filed a claim using another individual's personal information without their consent to obtain additional PUA benefits. It is claimed that she directed these payments into her own bank account.
Trinh is accused of fraudulently obtaining approximately $36,265 in total from these benefit programs. Each count of wire fraud carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Aggravated identity theft charges could result in an additional two years per count.
The Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021, aimed at addressing pandemic-related fraud through enhanced investigation and prosecution efforts. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates.
For more information on reporting attempted COVID-19 fraud, individuals can contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.