(The Center Square) – A Cook County man faces charges of using stolen identities to illegally accept unemployment benefits and tax dollars during the pandemic. That’s in addition to a slew of other criminal cases Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced his office has pursued.
This week, Raoul issued a series of news releases, including his office’s role in lawsuits against Walmart and Google bringing the state millions of dollars in settlements. Several other news releases have been about actions his office is taking to file criminal charges on behalf of the people of Illinois.
One dealt with Michael Sullivan of Griffith, Indiana, entering a negotiated guilty plea for illegally importing catfish to Illinois.
Thursday, Raoul announced charges against Kaquanice Larry of Mt. Prospect for filing unemployment benefits with the state using stolen identities, receiving about $75,000 and about $40,000 of Paycheck Protection Program loans in the name of fictitious companies. Whitney Flowers of Glen Ellyn had previously been charged in the scheme. Both face several felony charges with up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
“The charges are the most recent resulting from the Attorney General’s Task Force on Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud’s monthslong investigation into unemployment insurance benefits fraud,” Raoul’s office said in a news release. “The task force is aimed at enhancing collaborations between state and federal agencies investigating and prosecuting forms of unemployment benefits fraud.”
There were six other cases Raoul’s office said he’s previously charged in similar schemes totaling more than $266,000.
Raoul secured reelection in last week’s election over Republican challenger Thomas DeVore and Libertarian Dan Robin. Raoul’s critics said the incumbent wasn’t doing enough to go after fraud and official misconduct cases like state lawmakers already facing federal corruption charges.
