Ivis Jorge, 44, formerly an inmate at the Riverview Correctional Facility in Ogdensburg, and Pamela Febo, 38, of Keansburg, New Jersey, were arraigned today (Thursday, May 26) on an indictment alleging a fraud scheme.

According to press release from the Justice Department, the pair were attempting to obtain unemployment insurance benefits, including COVID-19 pandemic-related benefits, from programs administered by the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL).

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Anthony J. Annucci, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS); and NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon.

The indictment alleges a conspiracy to submit a fraudulent unemployment insurance claim to NYSDOL using Jorge’s personal identifying information. Febo allegedly submitted the application at Jorge’s direction in October 2020 and continued to re-certify Jorge’s benefits eligibility each week for approximately four months knowing that Jorge was incarcerated, and not “able and available to start work immediately.”

NYSDOL paid more than $27,000 in benefits on the claim. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Jorge, who remains subject to incarceration by New York State, waived a detention hearing and United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart ordered him detained in federal custody pending trial. Febo was ordered released.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as substantive wire fraud counts. The charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the NYSDOCCS Office of Special Investigations, and the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm.