Nearly a dozen men associated with the Brooklyn-based Woo gang were charged Thursday with allegedly stealing more than $4 million in COVID-19 relief cash & boasting about the scam in a music video, the feds said.
The 11 suspects – 9 of whom live in Brooklyn – used personal information, including driver’s license numbers, from 800 people to submit unemployment claims worth about $20 million.
The gang members were able to fleece some $4.3 million from the unemployment program between March 2020 and October 2021 as part of the scam.
A number of the suspects allegedly flashed stacks of the cash on social media & made reference to the scam in a rap video for the song “Trappin.”
The song includes the lyrics: “Unemployment got us working a lot,” a reference to the scheme.
One of the suspects, Christopher Jean Pierre, bought identifying information of his victims, including driver’s license numbers, for $150 apiece.
The feds recovered messages sent by Jean Pierre on an encrypted messaging app to a person identified as “Skyscraper,” who sold him the information.
“Yoo bro I need NY pros with the DL ASAP,” Jean Pierre wrote, referring to “driver’s licenses.”
“Is 150,” Skyscraper wrote back.
In a statement announcing the charges, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said he would continue to go after gang members who attempt to rip off the US government.
Eight of the suspects were arrested Thursday in New York and are scheduled to be presented in Brooklyn federal court.
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Source: New York Post
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