INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) - Three Inland Empire women are facing fraud charges alleging they used information belonging to California state prison inmates to file for pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

Federal authorities said each incident resulted in losses of at least $345,000.

Those charged in separate criminal complaints are Sequoia Edwards, 35, of Moreno Valley; Mireya Ramos, 42, of Colton and Paris Thomas, 33, of San Bernardino.

The defendants are the latest of approximately 150 defendants who have been charged across the United States in what the Justice Department calls an unprecedented explosion of unemployment insurance (UI) fraud over the past year.

The charge of fraud in connection with emergency benefits carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, and wire fraud carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison.

Story Date: April 19, 2021