A man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud in connection with the CARES Act, according to U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez.
From April to October 2020, Pholopater Faltas, 26, filed fake unemployment insurance claims with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. He used at least eight different names to do this.
Faltas tricked people into giving him their personal information by falsely promising to help them get unemployment benefits. He then submitted false information on their behalf to ensure the applications were approved, allowing him to control the funds.
As a result, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions paid out at least $66,867 in unemployment benefits that Faltas managed through bank accounts and debit cards. He kept most of the money for himself, misleading the people he had promised to help.
In his plea agreement, Faltas admitted that his crimes were related to the CARES Act, a federal relief program created during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also admitted to using mail and wire communications to commit the fraud.
Faltas is currently free on conditions while awaiting sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. He could face up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.