Texas Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme

ALBUQUERQUE - A Texas man was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $154,744 in restitution for defrauding the government by obtaining COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits through false claims.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, between July 2020 and February 2021, Marc Long, while residing in Texas, carried out a scheme to fraudulently obtain federally funded unemployment insurance benefits through the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Long submitted online unemployment claims and weekly certifications using the names and personal identifying information of other individuals, even though neither he nor those individuals were eligible for the benefits.

Court records show Long used the stolen identities of multiple victims to obtain or attempt to obtain COVID-19-related unemployment benefits. His fraudulent applications caused benefits to be deposited into bank accounts accessible by him and caused debit cards loaded with benefits to be mailed to addresses in Texas associated with Long. The fraud resulted in the theft of over $150,000 of federal unemployment relief funds intended for New Mexico residents impacted by COVID-19.

Long pleaded guilty to two counts each of wire fraud, mail fraud and theft of government property. Upon his release from prison, Long will be subject to three years of supervised release.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.

The FBI's Albuquerque Field Office and Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.