Massachusetts Man Indicted For Allegedly Collecting Nearly $12,000 In Unemployment Benefits While Working

Boston, MA (CompNewsNetwork) - A Taunton, Massachusetts man was indicted on charges that he schemed to collect nearly $12,000 in unemployment benefits while continuing to work.  Clarence Lee, age 44, was charged with Unemployment Fraud (23 counts) and Larceny Over $250.

According to authorities, Lee applied for unemployment benefits from the Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development's Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in March 2006, while separated from his employer, and began receiving benefits from March 2006 through October 2006.  During part of this time, Lee was allegedly working full-time at Monroe Muffler Brake, Inc., and failed to disclose his employment status to DUA.  

For each of the 23 weeks that Lee collected unemployment benefits from May 2006 through October 2006, he notified the DUA that he was not working, but that he was able to work and was available for work.  The alleged fraudulent activities were initially detected by investigators from the DUA.  Authorities allege Lee collected fraudulent payments totaling $11,920 while working and collecting.

Today, a Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments against Lee.  Lee is scheduled to be arraigned on October 15, 2008, in Suffolk Superior Court.

To report unemployment fraud to the DUA, call the agency's toll free fraud hotline at 1-800-354-9927 anytime, 24 hours a day.  Callers may remain anonymous.

Assistant Attorney General Jeremy Eisemann of Attorney General Martha Coakley's Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division prosecuted this case with assistance from investigators Pepper Daigler of the Attorney General's Office and Mark St. Onge of DUA.

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