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Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to CARES Act Fraud, Faces Up to 30 Years

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According to The Center Square, An Albuquerque man, Pholopater Faltas, 26, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of mail and wire fraud connected to the CARES Act, according to U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez.

Between April and October 2020, Faltas submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance applications to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions under at least eight different identities. He obtained personally identifying information from these individuals by falsely promising to help them access unemployment benefits.

The fraudulent applications included false statements to secure approval, allowing Faltas to control the funds that were disbursed. In total, he manipulated the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions into disbursing at least $66,867 in unemployment benefits, which he then managed through various bank accounts and debit cards. Faltas misled the individuals about their eligibility and kept the majority of the funds for himself.

In his plea agreement, Faltas admitted that his actions were related to the CARES Act, a federal program established to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also acknowledged using interstate mail and wire communications to carry out the scheme.

Faltas is currently free on conditions of release while awaiting sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. He faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.

Read the plea agreementĀ hereĀ .

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