Mercer Times

Ten people from various parts of New Jersey have been indicted on charges of committing fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Announced by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), the cases involve individuals allegedly collecting unemployment benefits to which they were not entitled. Among the accused is a former temporary employee of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOL).

"Unemployment benefits exist to provide income to New Jersey workers who find themselves out of a job through no fault of their own," said Attorney General Platkin. "Stealing this money is a serious crime, and we are always on the lookout for those who try to line their pockets with limited public resources. When, as is alleged in one of these cases, the defendant is a Department of Labor employee, the offenses are especially egregious."

The DCJ Director, Theresa L. Hilton, stated, "Even though it has been more than five years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we are still uncovering cases of fraud and abuse in our New Jersey unemployment benefits program and in other programs that were created to help people financially in difficult times. We will continue to investigate these cases to find those who broke the law by trying to game the system to get their hands on benefits to which they were not entitled."

Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo added, "We thank our partners at the Office of the Attorney General for their ongoing, shared commitment to rooting out fraud, and prosecuting anyone who would commit the reprehensible act of exploiting the unemployment insurance system, especially during a crisis."

Among those charged are Vanessa Allen of East Orange, Jeffson Cues of Newark, Nerlande Etienne of Irvington, and Rose Allen of East Orange, all indicted on March 13, 2025. Vanessa Allen, a former DOL temporary clerk, faces multiple charges including official misconduct and theft by deception. She allegedly collected $56,030 fraudulently using her position at the DOL.

Cues, Etienne, and Rose Allen are charged with theft by deception for obtaining unemployment benefits they were not entitled to, with figures cited at $41,689, $59,701, and $33,459, respectively. Deputy Attorney General Joseph Tartaglia is leading this prosecution.

Other individuals charged include Daezonae Cabbagestalk and Durrell Jenkins of Voorhees, Selene Williams of Woodbridge, Virginia Smith of Clementon, Paul Huber of Pitman, and Brian Korygoski of Sayreville. The cases are being prosecuted by various Deputy Attorneys General.

Second-degree charges could result in sentences of five to 10 years in state prison with fines up to $150,000. Third-degree offenses carry sentences of three to five years and fines up to $15,000, while fourth-degree offenses entail up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $10,000.

The Attorney General acknowledged the cooperative efforts of the New Jersey Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, and the Montgomery County Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office.

The charges are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.