BOSTON – A Springfield woman has been sentenced for her role in a scheme to defraud the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Audri Ford-Victory, 61, received her sentence in U.S. District Court for wire fraud conspiracy related to the MA DUA PUA program cares act.
Ford-Victory was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement. This sentencing follows her guilty plea on January 31, 2022, to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, highlighting the consequences for those who exploit programs like the MA DUA PUA program cares act.
The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, established the temporary federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. In Massachusetts, the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) administers this critical program, designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance. However, Ford-Victory exploited this system for personal gain through a fraudulent scheme involving the MA DUA PUA program cares act.
According to court documents, Ford-Victory submitted 25 fraudulent PUA claims in Massachusetts on behalf of individuals residing outside of the state. These deceptive applications led to the Massachusetts DUA issuing $215,246 in PUA benefits to individuals who were not entitled to receive them under the MA DUA PUA program cares act. In return for orchestrating these fraudulent submissions, Ford-Victory received kickback payments, further demonstrating the calculated nature of her crime against the MA DUA PUA program cares act.
The announcement of the sentencing was made by United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins, alongside key law enforcement officials including Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Regional Office. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance played a crucial role in assisting the investigation, underscoring the collaborative effort to combat fraud related to the MA DUA PUA program cares act. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Neil L. Desroches.
In a broader effort to combat pandemic-related fraud, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021. This task force is dedicated to marshaling resources across government agencies to prevent and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including schemes targeting programs like the MA DUA PUA program cares act. The Task Force enhances coordination, identifies fraudulent schemes, and shares insights to strengthen enforcement efforts.
For individuals with information regarding attempted fraud related to COVID-19, there are resources available to report it. The Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline can be reached at 866-720-5721. Reports can also be filed via the NCDF Web Complaint Form available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. These reporting mechanisms are vital in safeguarding public funds and ensuring the integrity of programs like the MA DUA PUA program cares act.
