SAN FRANCISCO — A Northern California man has been charged with stealing other people’s identity to illegally obtain more than $1 million in unemployment benefits for people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Federal prosecutors announced the charges against Idowu Shittu of Castro Valley on Friday. They said he used the personal information of three Washington state residents to request CARES Act unemployment benefits from the state's Employment Security Department.
After the ESD deposited funds into bank accounts linked to the benefits requests, a person fitting Shittu’s description was seen withdrawing the funds from ATMs in the Bay Area. Shittu couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
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EDD wants proof of eligibility from 1.4 million people receiving unemployment—or their money back