Stockton Woman Pleads Guilty To Identity Theft, EDD Fraud Schemes
STOCKTON (CBS13) — A Stockton woman pleaded guilty this week to unemployment fraud and identity theft schemes, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
Between May and September in 2020, Hopelyn Rhiannon Ausk, 25, targeted California's Employment Development Department's unemployment program by using victims' personal information to submit 20 fraudulent claims, 12 of which paid over $160,000 in debit cards that were mailed to her home, the DOJ said.
Additionally, between January 2019 and September 2020, Ausk conducted a bank fraud scheme that involved her stealing bank cards, mail, victims' financial information, checks and personal information.
Prosecutors said Ausk, in July 2019, used a stolen debit card to make online purchases from Louis Vuitton.
Ausk faces up to 20 years in prison for mail fraud, up to 30 years for bank fraud, in addition to a mandatory additional two years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9.