Woman Arrested For EDD Fraud As She Arrived At Riverside Superior Court For Unrelated Identity Theft Case
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — A woman arrived at Riverside Superior Court to face charges in one identity theft and fraud case only to be arrested on suspicion of unemployment insurance fraud, Riverside police said Monday.
Jazmin Ugalde, 31, was arrested last Thursday at Riverside Superior Court before her appearance in an unrelated identity theft and fraud case. Riverside police investigators say Ugalde had stolen several identities to fraudulently acquire EDD unemployment benefits.
"The State of California Employment Development Department (EDD) normally investigates these benefit fraud cases, however, their system has been completely overwhelmed with the dramatic increase in cases," Riverside police said in a statement. "This has led to local law enforcement agencies now investigating the frauds occurring within their own jurisdictions."
Riverside police says its Economic Crimes Unit served a search warrant on the home in the 4900 block of La Sierra Avenue where Ugalde was believed to be staying. At the home, police say the personal information of many people was found and detectives determined they had been used to obtain EDD unemployment benefits.
Ugalde was not at the home when the search warrant was served, but detectives learned she was scheduled to appear in court for a separate case of theft and fraud, police said. She was arrested as she arrived for her hearing and police say she was found to be in possession of another EDD benefits card for one of the victims in the investigation.
Anyone with more information about this fraud investigation or about Ugalde can contact Riverside police Detective Cory Camp at (951) 353-7117 or email clcamp@riversideca.gov.