TSA officer stole thousands in unemployment while working at Florida airport, feds say
A Transportation Security Administration officer lied to steal thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits while working at the Orlando International Airport in Florida, prosecutors said.
The man, 29, who used to live in Orlando, previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money after he was accused of stealing unemployment money from March 15, 2020, to March 8, 2021, according to prosecutors.
He stole $16,435 in benefits, including COVID-19 pandemic relief benefits, that went directly to his bank account for roughly a year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida said in an April 12 news release.
The former TSA officer, of Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced to six months in prison, the attorney’s office announced.
“The theft of any amount of taxpayer funds is inexcusable, especially when the public trust is violation by a government employee,” U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody said in a statement.
McClatchy News contacted the man’s attorneys for comment on April 14 and didn’t immediately receive a response.
The man stole from the Unemployment Insurance program in Florida by lying on applications and recertifications, saying he wasn’t working or earning money when he actually was, the release said.
The man also said he wasn’t employed as a federal civilian employee, according to prosecutors.
Records from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity showed the man was lying, officials said.
A judge ordered him to pay the same amount he stole in restitution, prosecutors said.
This story was originally published April 14, 2023 at 10:12 AM with the headline "TSA officer stole thousands in unemployment while working at Florida airport, feds say."
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