13 LA County employees charged with stealing over $430,000 in unemployment benefits

13 LA County workers accused of unemployment fraud

Thirteen LA County employees have been charged with stealing thousands in unemployment benefits during the COVID pandemic.

LOS ANGELES - Thirteen LA County employees have been charged with stealing over $430,000 in unemployment benefits.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the 13 county employees were from seven different agencies and were charged each with one felony count of grand theft and one lesser misdemeanor offense for stealing a combined $437,383 in state unemployment benefits between 2020 and 2023.

While working for Los Angeles County and receiving paychecks, the defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department, falsely claiming they earned less than $600 per week during each two-week claim period.

However, the employees earned more than $600 a week, making them ineligible for unemployment benefits.

What they're saying:

"It is shocking that these county employees who are receiving their county check every single two weeks are also telling EDD at the same time that they're unemployed and they receive no money. We will not tolerate this type of illegal conduct by anyone, but especially by county employees," Hochman said during a press conference Wednesday.

"As government employees, we have an obligation to uphold the public’s trust. When a civil servant steals from the government, that trust is broken. The scale of fraud in these cases is shocking, spanning seven different County agencies, including employees whose very job was to help the public determine whether they were eligible for public benefits."

The following cases were filed on Oct. 9 and 10:

Alla Agamalian, 42, a Justice, Care and Opportunity Department administrative services manager who allegedly stole $37,800 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;
Aurora Lopez Bautista, 57, a Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker who allegedly stole $9,349 in benefits between April 1, 2020, and Jan. 10, 2022;
Derrick Anthony Callella, 42, a Department of Health Services intermediate clerk who allegedly stole $9,984 in unemployment benefits between May 6, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2022;
Donisha Nicole Brumfield, 42, a Child Support Services Department secretary who allegedly stole $39,600 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 25, 2023;
Ivan Jacob Mariscal, 49, a Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker who allegedly stole $11,700 in benefits between May 6, 2020, and May 11, 2022;
Jessica Antonia Chandler, 37, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $48,900 in unemployment benefits between July 12, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2022;
Chandra Kameko Tisdale, 49, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $57,900 in unemployment benefits between March 22, 2020, and Oct. 23, 2021;
Kelley Collins, 55, a department of Public Social Services eligibility supervisor who allegedly stole $56,400 in unemployment benefits between March 8, 2020, and Oct. 15, 2021;
Mary Theresa Thomas, 55, a Department of Children and Family Services children's social worker who allegedly stole $10,350 in unemployment benefits between Sept. 24, 2020, and Nov. 16, 2021;
Raquel Martinez-Alvarez, 40, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department nonworn security employee who allegedly stole $54,900 in unemployment benefits between April 12, 2020, and Oct. 9, 2021;
Shalita Viola Hammell, 46, a Department of Children and Family Services human services aide who allegedly stole $35,850 in unemployment benefits between Nov. 6, 2020, and Dec. 2, 2021;
Toni Chereece Pittmon, 56, a Department of Children and Family Services secretary who allegedly stole $52,950 in unemployment benefits between July 1, 2020, and Dec. 12, 2022; and
Ynna Aghabegian, 34, a Department of Auditor-Controller senior accountant-auditor who allegedly stole $11,700 in unemployment benefits between Oct. 21, 2021, and April 2022.