PROVIDENCE — An East Providence man was among those arrested by State Police recently for fraudulently obtaining unemployment insurance benefits they were not entitled to receive.
Abel Perdigao, 43, of 21 Fleming Avenue, East Providence, $8,683 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits.
The arrests, done as part of a State Police sweep in conduction with the Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs, took place Thursday, October 9. In total, 18 individuals were taken into custody for allegedly Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses Over $1,500.00, in violation of the section 11-41-4 of the Rhode Island General Laws.
“Today’s arrests represent an ongoing collaborative effort by the Rhode Island State Police, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training and the Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General to investigate all allegations of unemployment fraud and hold those individuals, who fraudulently collect unemployment benefits from the State of Rhode Island, accountable, said State Police Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell in a statement released to the media Friday, Oct. 10.
Those arrested during the investigation were arraigned on the felony charge in Sixth Division District Court in Providence and released on personal recognizance. Collectively, these individuals are alleged to have fraudulently collected unemployment benefits totaling $304,253. The highest amount any one individual is alleged to have fraudulently collected is $38,287. Additional arrests are expected in the near future.
“The partnership between my office and the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals defrauding our unemployment insurance system is paying real dividends to the taxpayers. In just over one year, we have successfully prosecuted criminal cases involving unemployment insurance fraud, workers’ compensation fraud and employers’ failure to pay employee wages, securing court-ordered restitution in the amount of approximately $282,000,” said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.
He continued, “Those who commit fraud of the unemployment system may think they are harming no one, but that is far from the truth. They are harming the business owners and employees who put money into the system. They are, in essence, stealing from the taxpayers and it will not be tolerated. Anyone who is considering trying to collect unemployment benefits while gainfully employed is put on notice – you will be caught and you will be prosecuted.”
In September 2013, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training and the Office of Attorney General entered into an agreement whereby RI DLT helps fund a prosecutor who specializes in unemployment insurance fraud , workers’ comp fraud and employees failure to pay wages cases investigated by RIDLT and the Rhode Island State Police. In the past year, the Office of Attorney General has successfully prosecuted approximately 30 criminal cases involving unemployment insurance fraud, workers’ compensation fraud and employers’ failure to pay employee wages with court ordered restitution in the amount of approximately $282,000.
“DLT is committed to providing a benefit system that pays in an accurate and timely way to Unemployment Insurance claimants who need these benefits,” said Charles J. Fogarty, Director of the RIDLT. “We’re equally committed, however, to showing Rhode Island what an aligned and coordinated government can do to respond to real problems. State and federal agencies are pooling our resources and collaborating like never before. We’re rooting out those who misuse UI Trust Fund dollars, prosecuting more cases, recouping overpayments — and getting results.”
The following individuals were arrested during the sweep:
Damian Smidt, 27, of 25-31 Devereux Street, Providence, $6,096 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Javier Rivera, 40, of 20 Messer Street, Warwick, $10,976 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Joao Branco, 34, of 23 Pleasant Street, Cumberland, $16,884 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Abel Perdigao, 43, of 21 Fleming Avenue, East Providence, $8,683 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits.
Edmund McNeill, 57, of 67 Verndale Avenue, Providence, $10,757 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Kenneth Molden, 37, of 20 Bleau Lane, Portsmouth, $22,819 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Mario Pacheco, 55, of 291 Peckham Street, Fall River, $14,497 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Carl Graham, 52, of 420 Kenyon Avenue, Pawtucket, $17,679 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Brian Betances, 31, of 58 Cleveland Street, Pawtucket, $16,917 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Gregory Mitton, 53, of 20121 New London Turnpike, Coventry, $15,906 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Derek Sebastiao, 34, of 44 Desmar Court, Warwick, $21,720 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Stella Tabiti, 33, of 68 Lowell Avenue, Providence, $18,764 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Katrina Roy, 33, of 852 River Avenue, Providence, $17,924 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Pedro Diaz, 40, of 374 Webster Avenue, Cranston, $14,530 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Alvin Greene, 42, of 21 B Turano Avenue, Westerly, $ 22,980 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Patricia Johnson, 38, of 864 River Avenue, Providence, $12,696 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits.
Esteban Miliano, 43, of 107 Henrietta Street, Providence, $14,014 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits
Jason Hadley, 35, of 5 Mill Street, Putnam, Conn., Arrested on September 29, $38,287.00 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits