New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang announced the sentencing of Jodi Drygula, of Amsterdam, NY, and Anthony Camou, of Las Vegas, NV, for their roles in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain more than $250,000 in unemployment insurance benefits intended to support New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drygula (52) and Camou (45) were each sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Under her plea agreement, Drygula was ordered to pay $238,193.25 in restitution to the State of New York and $22,572 to the State of California, and she agreed to forfeit $38,900 in fraud proceeds. In addition to his term of incarceration, Camou was ordered to pay at least $56,994 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) and to forfeit $38,641 in fraud proceeds.
According to the investigation, between July 2020 and September 2021, Drygula and Camou submitted false unemployment insurance claims to the NYSDOL using the personal identifying information of three other people. In doing so, they unlawfully exploited emergency pandemic relief programs for personal financial gain.
This case was investigated through a joint effort by the New York State Inspector General, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with support from NYSDOL.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presented one of the greatest challenges in the history of modern public administration, requiring unprecedented speed in delivering benefits to those in need,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “Unfortunately, it also created opportunities for exploitation. These sentences reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that those who steal from public benefit systems will be held accountable. My office will continue to work diligently with our federal and state partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars and protect the integrity of critical public programs, during crises and always.”
“Jodi Drygula and Anthony Camou unlawfully profited by fraudulently obtaining critical taxpayer funds intended for individuals in need of unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic," stated Jonathan R. Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. "Safeguarding the integrity of the unemployment insurance program remains a top priority for the Office of Inspector General. We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to ensure the protection of U.S. Department of Labor programs and operations."
Inspector General Lang thanked the members of her staff who worked on the investigation, including Managing Investigator for Welfare Fraud Jason Fazio, Investigative Counsel Gina Wisniewski, Investigative Counsel Brandon Riddle, and Digital Forensic Investigator Colin Corrado.
The Inspector General also expressed her gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their partnership in safeguarding public resources, and to the New York State Department of Labor for their assistance and cooperation.
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