EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Two Wayne County men have been charged with allegedly committing COVID-19 pandemic fraud.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Wednesday, that Robert M. Reynolds, 69, of Newfoundland, Wayne County was charged with pandemic fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges from May 2020 to August 2021, Reynolds aided and abetted another in submitting false applications and weekly certifications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Karam says the applications and weekly certifications claimed that Reynolds was unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had earnings for each quarter of 2019, and could accept a job if offered, when in fact, he was retired.
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Officials say Reynolds allegedly received $36,000 in PUA benefits during the scheme.
According to Karam, in May 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed charges against a co-defendant, Christopher J. Miller, also of Newfoundland, who was charged with 54 combined counts of wire fraud, bank fraud false statements, identity theft, and unlawful monetary transactions, for allegedly receiving $1,500,000 in pandemic stimulus funds for himself and others.
According to officials, Miller was arrested, detained, and pleaded guilty to the charges against him. Miller is currently awaiting sentencing.
The maximum penalties Reynolds faces for the charges against him are 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.
