Chicago man sentenced in PA court for pandemic-related unemployment fraud

( WJET/WFXP ) – A Chicago man was sentenced in a Pennsylvania court on Monday following false unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to information provided by the court, Christian Matthews, 35, fraudulently obtained personal information belonging to other people and later used it to file claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in several states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.

He also purchased stolen social security numbers online, using them to create fictitious businesses in order to obtain other companies’ mailing addresses. He would later use these addresses and have benefit cards mailed to them.

Matthews was convicted of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

He was sentenced to 54 months in prison, three years on parole and owed a $20,000 restitution fine, which was imposed by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV.

United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan would like to thank the following departments for their assistance on this case: United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service and Findlay Township Police Department

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