ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s name was among a group of names of state leaders used as part of an effort by scammers to collect unemployment benefits, officials said Wednesday.
The officials said the suspects also used the name of Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and seven cabinet secretaries, including Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson, whose department oversees the unemployment system, The Baltimore Sun reported.
According to officials, applicants used complete stolen identities to pass the early verification process. But the scam was revealed once the Labor Department’s computer system generated a report that was sent to the applicant’s prior employer.
“This is another example of how this kind of fraud can happen to anyone, and we need to remain vigilant,” Hogan, a Republican, said in a statement Wednesday.
The incident is under investigation by federal authorities, Hogan said.
In July, state officials said they worked with federal investigators to stop an identity theft scheme that sought more than $500 million worth of unemployment benefits. The scheme involved more than 47,500 fake claims, according to officials. Thousands of legitimate claimants had their payments put on hold as a result.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General are investigating that case.
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