Detroit Duo Charged in $4M Unemployment Fraud Scheme
Shawn Carter and Danielle Thomas from the Detroit area have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They are accused of filing over 400 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims across 32 states, totaling more than $4 million. The scheme involved using Bank of America debit cards to withdraw funds at ATMs. Investigators linked the duo to the fraud through digital and financial footprints, including common IP addresses and bank accounts. The operation took advantage of the expanded unemployment benefits during the pandemic. 
