2 Seattleites charged with stealing $1M in jobless benefits

SEATTLE (AP) — Two Seattle residents have been charged with stealing over $1 million in jobless benefits and small business loans during the pandemic. The Seattle Times reports Bryan Sparks and Autumn Luna were charged Wednesday with stealing at least $500,000 in jobless benefits from the state Employment Security Department and $520,000 in federal Small Business Administration loans, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court. The jobless benefits charge appears to be the largest uncovered in dollar terms stemming from the $647 million wave of unemployment fraud Washington experienced last year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle says Luna and Sparks were arrested in June. It wasn’t immediately known if they have lawyers to comment.