Bristol, Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty To Unemployment Fraud…Receives Nine Years In Federal Prison

A Bristol, Tennessee woman, who conspired with others to fraudulently file nearly a half million dollars in pandemic unemployment benefits, will spend the next two years in federal prison. 51 year old Melissa Hayes, already pleaded guilty this year. Hayes and others organized a scheme involving filing fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits. Hayes and the others worked together to obtain personal identification information from more than 35 co-conspirators including 15 inmates being housed in the Virginia Department of Corrections. During the course of nine months, Hayes, and the group filed fraudulent claims for at least 37 people with a total actual loss to the United States Government of at least 499 thousand dollars.