SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A former EDD employee pleaded guilty to her involvement in nearly 100 fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Andrea M. Gervais, 44, of Roseville, took out 97 PUA claims using various identities, including that of a sitting United States Senator. It was the claim for $21,000 involving the senator that alerted investigators, the US Attorney’s Office said. Investigators did not name the senator.
RELATED: Over $400,000 allegedly lost to two EDD fraud schemes involving COVID-19 unemployment benefits
That claim along with at least nine others were processed for payment totaling more than $200,000. If she had been successful in collecting all 97 claims, investigators say it would have been more than $2 million.
According to court documents, the money was paid out to Gervais’s Roseville address in Bank of America (BoA) debit cards. Investigators say surveillance cameras at BoA ATMs showed Gervais withdrawing cash from at least seven of the EDD debit cards.
Gervais is on pretrial release as she awaits her sentencing. Her next court date is set for Aug. 9. Gervais is looking at a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Read more from ABC10
If you are stuck on 'pending' with EDD and can't get your unemployment benefits in California, Youtuber Ginny Silver shares some advice.
