Five Southwest Virginia Residents Plead Guilty Of Defrauding United States Of More Than 499 Thousand Dollars

Five Southwest Virginia residents who schemed with more than 30 others to defraud the United States of more than 499 thousand dollars in pandemic unemployment benefits have pleaded guilty in Abingdon, Virginia. 43 year old Patrick Payne, 42 year old Randall Johnson, 33 year old Steven Mullins, Jr, 25 year old Curtis Mullins, and 58 year old Melinda Davis conspired with others to file pandemic unemployment benefits and submitted claims for various individuals who were not eligible to receive benefits, including inmates incarcerated in southwest Virginia jails. Each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and will be sentenced at a later date.