Statehouse News Bureau
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Kim Henderson, in a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday, February 3, 2020.
Fraud in the state’s unemployment system cost Ohio more than $330 million in just the last three months of last year. And there could still be fraud among more than a quarter of a million claims flagged this summer.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Kim Henderson said $2.3 million was paid to 2,200 fraudulent claims in October and November.
But Henderson said, “In December, we identified 56,000 overpayments in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. This equates to a total of $330 million, including the supplemental $600 FPUC (Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation) payments.”
PEXELS
On Wednesday, the number of people vaccinated for COVID-19 in Ohio exceeded the total number of people who have tested positive for the disease. Slightly more than 908,000 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine so far, which is just over 7% of the population.
Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, February 4:
Vaccinations surpass total COVID-19 cases
Ohio paid $330M in fraudulent unemployment claims in 3 months
Fired Columbus police officer indicted for murder of Andre Hill
Ohio Democratic Senator leaves hearing over lack of masks
Californians charged for pandemic loans to fake Ohio farms
DeWine proposes $10 million for police body cameras
Feb 3, 2021
As the number of applications for unemployment assistance exploded all over the country, so did the opportunities for fraud theft of taxpayer dollars. Officials in most states have been working hard against it, but the onslaught is overwhelming.
Ohio Job and Family Services Director Kim Henderson told another media outlet a lot of work has been done to weed out illegitimate claims. But one infiltration has proved a challenge.
“We know this is a national problem. There is a belief it is the result of international crime rings,” Henderson told a reporter for WBNS in Columbus of the thieves stealing personal information to apply for unemployment benefits.
As the number of applications for unemployment assistance exploded all over the country, so did the opportunities for fraud theft of taxpayer dollars. Offic