13 LA County Employees Bilked The State With Bogus Unemployment Claims: DA

LOS ANGELES, CA — Thirteen Los Angeles County employees were charged with theft for allegedly filing bogus unemployment claims, bilking the state out of more than $430,000 combined, the District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

According to prosecutors, each of the defendants was charged with a felony count of grand theft, and a lesser-included misdemeanor offense. The defendants allegedly filed unemployment claims while working for the county between 2020 and 2023, purporting to have earned less than $600 per week during each two-week claim period, even though they all earned more than that amount.

"As government employees, we have an obligation to uphold the public's trust," District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. "When a civil servant steals from the government, that trust is broken. The scale of fraud in these cases is shocking, spanning seven different county agencies, including employees whose very job was to help the public determine whether they were eligible for public benefits. Most egregiously, these individuals allegedly claimed to be unemployed during the COVID pandemic when millions of Californians were legitimately in need of unemployment benefits."

According to Hochman's office, charges were filed against:

— Alla Agamalian, 42, a Justice, Care and Opportunity Department administrative services manager who allegedly stole $37,800 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;

— Aurora Lopez Bautista, 57, a Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker who allegedly stole $9,349 in benefits between April 1, 2020, and Jan. 10, 2022;

— Derrick Anthony Callella, 42, a Department of Health Services intermediate clerk who allegedly stole $9,984 in unemployment benefits between May 6, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2022;

— Donisha Nicole Brumfield, 42, a Child Support Services Department secretary who allegedly stole $39,600 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;

— Ivan Jacob Mariscal, 49, a Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker who allegedly stole $11,700 in benefits between May 6, 2020, and May 11, 2022;

— Jessica Antonia Chandler, 37, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $48,900 in unemployment benefits between July 12, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2022;

— Chandra Kameko Tisdale, 49, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $57,900 in unemployment benefits between March 22, 2020, and Oct. 23, 2021;

— Kelley Collins, 55, a department of Public Social Services eligibility supervisor who allegedly stole $56,400 in unemployment benefits between March 8, 2020, and Oct. 15, 2021;

— Mary Theresa Thomas, 55, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $10,350 in unemployment benefits between Sept. 24, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2021;

— Raquel Martinez-Alvarez, 40, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department non-wworn security employee who allegedly stole $54,900 in unemployment benefits between April 12, 2020, and Oct. 9, 2021;

— Shalita Viola Hammell, 46, a Department of Children and Family Services human services aide who allegedly stole $35,850 in unemployment benefits between Nov. 6, 2020, and Dec. 2, 2021;

— Toni Chereece Pittmon, 56, a Department of Children and Family Services secretary who allegedly stole $52,950 in unemployment benefits between July 1, 2020, and Dec. 12, 2022; and

— Ynna Aghabegian, 34, a Department of Auditor-Controller senior accountant-auditor who allegedly stole $11,700 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 21, 2021, and April 2022.

Each of the defendants face up to three years in prison if convicted as charged.

City News Service