Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that the New York State Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations has named Erie County second in New York State for recovering the highest in total restitution from Unemployment Insurance Benefits fraud cases last year.

The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund provides financial assistance to individuals who have lost their jobs and who are pursuing new employment. The Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations is responsible for investigating reports of fraud. Once suspected fraud has been detected, the case is turned over to local law enforcement.

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to prosecuting individuals who unlawfully obtain these unemployment benefits. A person who has been charged with a fraud-related offense will often make restitution payments.

In 2018, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau returned over $430,597.00 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor.

Over the past seven years, the SIP Bureau has recovered more than $2,339,822.00 from these crimes, establishing the Erie County DA’s Office as one of the leading District Attorney offices in New York State for returned restitution to the Department of Labor.

“If you steal from New York State, you are stealing from taxpayers and you will be prosecuted,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. “I am proud to partner with the Department of Labor in these investigations. I hope that our efforts demonstrate that this is a crime that does not pay. It is one you will be required to pay back,” he continued.

 DA Flynn commends the Assistant District Attorneys and staff from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau for successfully prosecuting these cases.