Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) –44 year old Joseph Martinez of Belen has been sentenced to prison for carrying out an unemployment fraud scheme in which he received more than $177,000. Between June 18th, 2020, and October 15th, 2021, he submitted 21 fraudulent unemployment insurance claim applications through the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. The U.S. Attorneys Offices says he accomplished the fraud by using his own name, variations of his name, and the stolen identities of others. In addition, he also modified and pursued a legitimate application that had been filed by another person, without that person’s knowledge, and opened bank accounts in other individuals’ names without authorization to receive the fraudulent payments. A federal judge sentenced him to 41 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will undergo five years of supervised release.
