Former DLT Worker Pleads Guilty to Theft, Computer Fraud Charges
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ambulai R. Sheku, 37, of Providence, a former Senior Employment Interviewer with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to conspiring to commit mail fraud, theft of government funds and accessing a protected computer to commit fraud.
Sheku admitted that between June 2009 and February 2015, he used his position at DLT and his authorized access to DLT computer files to participate in a scheme to make unauthorized changes to benefit recipients’ files which resulted in the fraudulent disbursement of more than $508,000 of unemployment insurance benefits.
Sheku’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Acting Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region of the Department of Labor – Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
At the time of his guilty plea, Sheku admitted that he used his authorized access to DLT computers and computer files to obtain unemployment benefits for himself and others to which they were not entitled. As part of the scheme Sheku changed the mailing addresses of legitimate unemployment insurance beneficiaries, thus causing banks to mail unemployment insurance benefits to individuals not entitled to receive them; without authorization, extended the expiration of benefits for members of the conspiracy; caused fraudulent claims, including claims by individuals who were employed and thus ineligible for unemployment benefits, to be approved and dispersed; increased the balance of unemployment insurance benefits; and fraudulently removed blocks or “stops” on benefit payments, thus allowing co-conspirators to continue receiving benefits to which they were not entitled.
It is alleged in court documents that the scheme resulted in a loss to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training of approximately $508,691, of which approximately $350,606 were federal funds.
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Sheku is scheduled to be sentenced on February XX, 2017.
The matter continues to be investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Department of Labor, with the assistance of the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
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Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: USARI.Media@usdoj.gov
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