TRENTON, N.J. — An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led to the conviction of a New Jersey man for conspiring to illegally obtain over $570,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits.
Jose Tavares, 37, of Englewood, New Jersey, was convicted after a five-day jury trial on Oct. 28 at the U.S. District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Jose Tavares and his conspirators were caught stealing emergency funds from our government with disregard for the families and businesses who were authorized economic assistance in the wake of COVID-19,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “HSI Newark is grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the verdict.”
Tavares’ conspirators, Yanira Abreu, 43, of Keasbey, New Jersey, and Christopher Valerio, 34, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, have each previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced in the same scheme.
According to the investigation, Tavares, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits from July 2020 through February 2021 to the New York Department of Labor through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, of other individuals without their consent. Tavares and his conspirators obtained debit cards with illegally obtained funds totaling over $570,000, which they used for personal gain, including vacations, luxury retail purchases, and cosmetic surgery, once the labor department processed and approved the fraudulent applications.
The charges and allegations against Tavares are merely accusations, and Taveras is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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