Two New York residents may face decades in federal prison after prosecutors unsealed a sweeping 68-count indictment against them this week.
Mayovanet Fermin, 26, and Frnsheska Fermin, 25, both from Yonkers, allegedly carried out an elaborate plan to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from government programs created to support Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A federal grand jury issued the indictment on August 19, 2025. After their arraignment on October 3, officials unsealed the charges, which outline an 18-month scheme that allegedly turned stolen identities into cash.
According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Fermins obtained and exchanged lists of personal identifying information (PII) belonging to unsuspecting victims between January 2020 and July 2021. Prosecutors say they used this data to file fraudulent federal income tax returns, claim Economic Impact Payments, and apply for pandemic unemployment assistance benefits.
By the time investigators shut down the operation, prosecutors allege the pair had secured more than $400,000 in fraudulent payments.
The charges in the indictment are extensive and include conspiracy to defraud the government, mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering conspiracy.
If convicted on the most serious charges, the two could face up to 30 years in federal prison, along with heavy fines and supervised release.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the IRS Criminal Investigation division, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
Please make a small dona
Leave a Reply