A Perris woman was sentenced Feb. 4 to 63 months in prison and $4.3 million in restitution for committing mail fraud through 197 fraudulent unemployment claims, in her second fraud case related to California’s Employment Development Department.
Gabriela Llerenas, also known as Maria Sandoval, used personal information she retained from work as a tax preparer to submit fraudulent claims using the state’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, the October United States of America’s allegation against her for mail fraud claimed.
The PUA expanded unemployment relief to self-employed workers, independent contractors, and employees with insufficient earnings, using funding from the $2 trillion federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, according to the document. Supporting documents were not needed to apply for the program, but claimants needed to provide their name, Social Security number, and a mailing address.
Llerenas provided her own address, and the addresses of acquaintances, as the required mailing address, a press release claimed.
Llerenas was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison, after fraudulently authorizing disability benefits as an EDD employee in 2002, according to the press release.
The government filed its case against Llerenas Sept. 8.
Ronald Freeman of San Bernardino’s Law Office of Ronald L Freeman represented Llerenas.
Ranee Katzenstein of the US Attorney’s Office, major fraud section, represented the United States.
Judge John Holcomb presided.
Case number 5:21-cr-00187
Read the complaint here.
