Woman pleads guilty in $1.2M COVID-19 fraud scheme

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Virginia to a $1.2 million scheme that defrauded COVID-19 pandemic relief programs using victims’ personal information that she obtained through her state government employment.

U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber said court documents show that in one scheme Sadie Mitchell of Midlothian, with help from a co-conspirator, defrauded the Virginia Employment Commission by filing at least 20 fraudulent unemployment applications using inmates’ personal information.

Mitchell pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. She faces up to 30 years in prison at sentencing on Aug. 23.

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