A group of four siblings from Southern California has been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a $1.1 million unemployment benefits fraud scheme. The sentencing took place in Los Angeles, where United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt delivered the prison terms.
The family members sentenced include Evelyn Taylor, 41, who received a sentence of 18 months, Laron Taylor, 38, who was sentenced to 54 months, Latrice Taylor, 42, who was given 27 months, and Raschell Taylor, 35, who was sentenced to 24 months. All four individuals were also ordered to pay a restitution of $567,334.
The Taylors were convicted by a jury in July 2024 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The fraudulent activities spanned from February 2013 to July 2016. The defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious businesses, registered them with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), and filed fraudulent unemployment claims. These actions led to the illegal acquisition of approximately $1,106,282 in unemployment benefits.
The investigation was conducted by various government bodies, including the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case marks the second sentencing related to this fraud scheme. Prior convictions include Catrina Gipson from Moreno Valley, who received a 54-month prison sentence in February 2023, and Vernisha Jolivet from Ripley, who was sentenced to six months in federal prison in May 2022.
The prosecution of the case was led by Assistant United States Attorney Solomon Kim of the Major Frauds Section.