A couple in the state of Michigan precisely the city of Detroit is facing multiple decades in prison in the wake of being accused of conspiring with a former state contractor to defraud the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency out of more than $2 million.
Micahia Taylor and Johnny Richardson allegedly conspired with Brandi Hawkins to file fake unemployment claims.
According to Prosecutors, Hawkins was aware of the embellished claims and used her access to release the funds to the couple.
Federal authorities found WhatsApp messages between Hawkins and Taylor when they raided the former contractor’s home in July.
Per criminal complaint, Hawkins showed that she was fixing the claims in her messages to Taylor.
Taylor and Richardson showed off cars, jewellery, and designer clothes on Instagram.
One post showed Richardson bragging about buying Taylor a Mercedes G-Wagon.
“Baby you deserve everything I got the big house you wanted and the car and the jewellery,” Richardson wrote in all caps. “Btw I love you so much, and I’m not done next week I got something better.”
Hawkins has been charged with theft and bribery, while Taylor was arrested and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
Speaking on the incident, assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Wyse labelled Taylor a flight risk and said her boyfriend was still missing. He further stated that the authorities “simply do not know where that $2.5 million is.”
Consequently, the couple has been charged with wire fraud and each face up to 20 years in prison.
