Attorney General Miyares Secures Conviction for Unemployment Fraud

RICHMOND, VA – Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced that his Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit has secured another conviction.

• Ajarhi Roberts, Winchester: convicted in Winchester City Circuit Court of a felony obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178).

Following the conviction, Roberts was sentenced to 5 years in prison, with all but four months suspended, on the condition of supervised probation and payment of restitution. Roberts was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission.

The conviction is the result of a joint investigation by Virginia State Police, The U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General.

“Unemployment fraud is a cruel way of taking advantage of systems designed to help Virginians down on their luck. My unemployment compensation fraud unit is dedicated to bringing these cases to justice,” said Attorney General Miyares.

In March of 2022, the Virginia Employment Commission asked Attorney General Miyares to help prosecute fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation. 

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