IDES director's statement following
federal indictment in unemployment insurance fraud case
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[October 26, 2012]
CHICAGO -- Jay Rowell, director
of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, issued the
following statement Thursday after Acting U.S. Attorney Gary S.
Shapiro's office unsealed criminal charges in a case alleging
$825,000 in unemployment insurance fraud. The IDES brought the case
to federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois and
provided detailed analysis critical to the investigation and
subsequent charges.
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"Stealing unemployment insurance benefits is a crime against every hardworking
person and business in our state," Rowell said. "It siphons dollars away from
people trying their hardest to succeed, and in doing so harms the economy of our
state."
Case 12CR0765, United States of America v. Jesse Blackmon, alleges that
Blackmon wrongfully assisted in the processing of claims, and those claims were
fraudulent. The allegations occurred between January 2009 and September 2010 in
Chicago. The grand jury indictment was unsealed this week.
"Rooting out waste, fraud and abuse is more than a slogan. It is an absolute
necessity to protect our residents and grow our economy," Rowell said. "I thank
and applaud Mr. Shapiro and his team for their hard work and dedication in this
lengthy investigation."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2012/Oct/26/images/ads/current/beason-ag-sda_071312.png)
In the past year, the IDES has begun garnishing federal tax returns of
unemployment cheats; checked unemployment rolls against prison logs;
strengthened the anti-fraud unit with attorneys from Illinois Attorney General
Lisa Madigan; created a new-hire directory to more quickly identify fraud; and
now can hold business leaders personally liable for misstating their company's
obligations. The programs have saved taxpayers more than $120 million.
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Unemployment insurance benefits are funded through business
contributions. These temporary dollars most often are spent for
essentials at the local grocery, gas station and clothing store,
thereby supporting the local economy. Every $1 in unemployment
insurance benefits generates about $1.63 in economic activity.
The criminal indictment only contains charges and is not evidence
of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a
fair trial. At that time, the government has the burden of proving
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Questions about this criminal case
should be directed to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Employment Security
file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2012/Oct/26/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_062409.png) |