The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrests of a mother and son accused of orchestrating a Covid-era unemployment fraud scheme that drained over $1.1 million from the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
Arrests Across Multiple States
According to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant, 49-year-old Yolanda Butler was arrested in Oklahoma, while her son, 28-year-old Legerrius Holt, was taken into custody in Colorado.
A third defendant, 33-year-old Quamaine Massey, was arrested in Ohio.
-
All three face mail fraud charges
-
Butler and Holt also face aggravated identity theft charges
Details of the Fraud
The DOJ alleges the group used stolen personally identifiable information (PII) from dozens of victims to file at least 69 fraudulent unemployment claims.
The California EDD approved many of these applications, sending prepaid debit cards loaded with benefits to addresses controlled by the defendants.
The suspects allegedly spent the funds for personal expenses, resulting in a $1.1 million loss to the U.S. government. Authorities have not disclosed what the money was used for.
Potential Sentences
-
Mail Fraud: Up to 20 years in prison (for each defendant)
-
Aggravated Identity Theft: Additional 2 years in prison (for Butler and Holt)
Wider Covid Fraud Crackdown
The arrests come as federal authorities continue uncovering widespread Covid-related fraud:
-
August 2025: Feds concluded a $17 million fraud investigation tied to pandemic relief programs.
-
Same month: The DOJ secured convictions against Malcolm Jeffery, 34, and co-conspirators for stealing $16 million from the Georgia Department of Labor’s Covid unemployment funds.
Leave a Reply