NYC public servants accused of stealing identities of homeless in pandemic fraud scheme

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Several New York City employees have been arrested for their alleged role in a scheme to steal the identities of homeless shelter residents and defraud a pandemic-era relief program. Manhattan prosecutors brought charges against 18 people, including five employees of the city’s homeless services agency. Prosecutors say they abused their positions to access the personal information of homeless shelter residents, which they used to obtain $1.2 million in pandemic unemployment benefits. Employees of the NYPD, the MTA and the U.S. Postal Service were also charged in the scheme. Each of the defendants who were arraigned on Thursday afternoon pleaded not guilty to charges that included grand larceny, conspiracy, and burglary.