Press Releases
05/08/2023
Waterbury Man Charged With Unemployment Compensation Fraud, Larceny
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Rocky Hill, CT) - A Waterbury man has been arrested and charged with illegally collecting more than $24,000 in Unemployment Compensation benefits.
Marcus Johnson, age 41, of Benefit Street, Waterbury, was charged on May 5, 2023 with one count each of Unemployment Compensation Fraud in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 31-279 and Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-122.
The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau’s Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney following a complaint by the Connecticut Department of Labor.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Johnson fraudulently collected approximately $24,686 in unemployment benefits from August 22, 2020 to March 27, 2021. Johnson was working full time and failed to report his wages while he was collecting the unemployment benefits.
Johnson was released on a promise to appear in New Britain Superior Court, G.A. No. 15, on May 11, 2023. The charges against Johnson are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.
Unemployment Compensation Fraud in excess of $500 is a Class D felony punishable by not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine. Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community is a Class B felony punishable by not less than 1 year nor more than 20 years in prison and/or up to a $15,000 fine. The Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit was established under a partnership between the Division of Criminal Justice and the state Department of Labor to investigate and prosecute alleged fraud in the unemployment compensation program. It is financed with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Hatfield of the Statewide Prosecution Bureau.