Ten Indicted Across New Jersey for Unemployment and Loan Fraud

State officials announce multiple charges stemming from pandemic-era benefit programs, including misconduct by a former Department of Labor employee

Ten individuals across New Jersey were indicted in March 2025 for alleged fraud related to unemployment benefits and pandemic relief programs, according to an announcement by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice. The unrelated cases highlight the state’s continuing enforcement efforts to investigate fraud tied to COVID-19 financial assistance programs.

“Unemployment benefits exist to provide income to New Jersey workers who find themselves out of a job through no fault of their own,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Stealing this money is a serious crime, and we are always on the lookout for those who try to line their pockets with limited public resources. When, as is alleged in one of these cases, the defendant is a Department of Labor employee, the offenses are especially egregious.”

Among those charged is Vanessa Allen of East Orange, a former temporary clerk with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). Allen is accused of using her official position to improperly access unemployment systems, enabling her and others to receive benefits unlawfully. The indictment alleges she obtained $56,030 in benefits through unauthorized computer access and false entries in department records. Allen faces multiple charges, including:

Four counts of official misconduct (2nd degree)
Pattern of official misconduct (2nd degree)
Theft by deception and tampering with public records or information (3rd degree)
Falsifying or tampering with records (4th degree)
Computer theft (3rd degree)

Allen, along with Jeffson Cues of Newark, Nerlande Etienne of Irvington, and Rose Allen of East Orange, is charged with third-degree theft by deception for allegedly receiving benefits to which they were not entitled. According to the indictment:

Cues is accused of obtaining $41,689
Etienne allegedly received $59,701
Rose Allen is charged with receiving $33,459

These cases are being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Joseph Tartaglia.

In a separate March 5, 2025 indictment, Daezonae Cabbagestalk and Durrell Jenkins, both of Voorhees, are charged with orchestrating fraudulent schemes to obtain over $75,000 each through the U.S. Small Business Administration and New Jersey COVID-19 loan programs. Both allegedly submitted false claims for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program funds for companies registered under their names: Solemate LLC and Nicest Barbers Around LLC, respectively. The charges against them include:

Theft by deception (2nd and 3rd degree)
Forgery (3rd degree)
Money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering (2nd degree)
Failure to pay taxes and filing fraudulent tax returns (3rd degree)
Misconduct by a corporate official (2nd degree)
Jenkins is also charged with check fraud (3rd degree)

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Lindsey Watson.

Additional individuals indicted for alleged unemployment benefit fraud include:

Selene Williams of Woodbridge, charged with third-degree theft by deception for collecting benefits from March 29, 2020, to June 21, 2022
Virginia Smith of Clementon, charged with third-degree theft by deception from April 12, 2020, to January 8, 2022
Paul Huber of Pitman, charged with third-degree theft by deception from February 22, 2020, to August 28, 2021
Brian Korygoski of Sayreville, charged with three counts of third-degree theft by deception for collecting benefits between March 22, 2020, and July 22, 2023

The respective cases are being prosecuted by Deputy Attorneys General Sarah G. Milicia, Zachary S. Zuczek, and Anthony J. Papageorgiou.

“Even though it has been more than five years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we are still uncovering cases of fraud and abuse in our New Jersey unemployment benefits program and in other programs that were created to help people financially in difficult times,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “We will continue to investigate these cases to find those who broke the law by trying to game the system to get their hands on benefits to which they were not entitled.”

Penalties for these offenses vary by degree. Second-degree charges carry prison terms of five to ten years and fines up to $150,000. Third-degree charges may result in three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000. Fourth-degree offenses are punishable by up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,000.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Attorney General Platkin extended thanks to the New Jersey Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of the Inspector General, and the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office for their support in these investigations.