One Face of California EDD Fraud Received a Plea Agreement: Which Tells Us the Corruption Goes Deep

The people of California are fortunate that Cara Marie Kirk-Connell's fraud through the Employment Development Department is a federal offense.

Kirk-Connell was charged in October with identity theft, mail fraud, and access device fraud to illegally obtain unemployment and enhanced COVID-19 benefits.

While many Californians were desperately waiting for their benefits and have suffered the loss of homes, businesses, and being audited and attacked by the EDD for employee misclassification, Kirk-Connell manipulated the system to rake in over half a million dollars and then some.

"The affidavit said that Kirk-Connell admitted to investigators that she obtained the information from the"dark web" - the part of the internet that is invisible to search engines where such information is often illegally sold []". "If convicted as charged, Kirk-Connell faces a maximum sentence of 32 years in federal prison."

Fast forward to December, and it seems Kirk-Connell sang for her supper and received a plea agreement.

"Cara Marie Kirk-Connell, 32, admitted in a plea agreement to purchasing stolen identities through the"dark web" and watching YouTube videos on how to file fraudulent unemployment claims, prosecutors said.

"As part of her plea deal with prosecutors, Kirk-Connell admitted procuring debit cards worth more than $500,000 from the California Employment Development Department using stolen personal information."

https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2020/12/17/one-face-of-california-edd-fraud-received-a-plea-agreement-which-tells-us-the-corruption-goes-deep-n296110