Area Individuals Convicted For Unlawful Unemployment Payments
Since April 2013, as a result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Labor with the assistance of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana has prosecuted and convicted nine individuals who fraudulently collected government funds in the form of unemployment insurance benefit payments from the State of Indiana.
These individuals worked for companies in Elkhart and Goshen, and while they received wages, applied for and unlawfully received unemployment insurance benefit payments. The total amount of restitution to be paid to the Department of Workforce Development by each defendant ranged from $15,062 to $81,452.25, but collectively amounted to $337,524.
“The prosecutions illustrate the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to combating unemployment insurance fraud. We would like to thank the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for their support in identifying the unemployment insurance fraud and their investigative partnership in ensuring the accountability and integrity of the program,” stated James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations in Chicago.
Area individuals convicted as a result of this investigation are:
Timothy B. Heckaman, 52, of Bremen, was sentenced on July 22, in the United States District Court – Northern District of Indiana – South Bend Division before the Honorable Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. to 2 years probation and ordered to pay restitution to Indiana Department of Workforce Development (IDWD) in the amount of $34,136.25.
Tiffany J. Miller, 29, of Ligonier, was sentenced on July 10, 2014 in the United States District Court – Northern District of Indiana – South Bend Division before the Honorable Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 2 years probation and ordered to pay restitution to Indiana Department of Workforce Development (IDWD) in the amount of $15,062.
Adam J. Shetler, 33, of Goshen, was sentenced April 24, 2014 in the United States District Court – Northern District of Indiana – South Bend Division before the Honorable Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 5 years probation and ordered to pay restitution to Indiana Department of Workforce Development (IDWD) in the amount of $32,689.50.
Dan F. Warren, 45, of Leesburg, was sentenced May 21, 2014 in the United States District Court – Northern District of Indiana – South Bend Division before the Honorable Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 2 years probation and ordered to pay restitution to Indiana Department of Workforce Development (IDWD) in the amount of $22,030.25.
Each of these defendants pleaded guilty to the theft of government funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.