RIVERSIDE – (INT) - The final two defendants in an Inland Empire-based scheme to defraud the government of pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits pleaded guilty Monday March 27th in US District Court in Riverside.

They obtained 2-point-1 million dollars by claiming that they were salon and barbershop workers rendered jobless by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents, lead defendant Robert Campbell Jr., 29, of Corona, orchestrated the scheme over a 16-month period.

In total, Campbell and others caused 174 fraudulent applications to be filed with the State Employment Development Department resulting in 125 fraudulent claims to be paid.

Campbell will be sentenced June 5th and the others on later dates.

Story Date: March 31, 2023