COVID-19 Fraud Task Force prosecutes Post Falls man
A Post Falls man is among several individuals prosecuted in federal court as a result of work done by the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced last week that Jimmy Winebrenner, 79, pleaded guilty to using or trafficking in unauthorized access devices.
Between May and August 2020, Winebrenner received at least 16 unemployment benefits cards in the mail in names other than his own from various state agencies, including the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
Between July and August 2020, Winebrenner obtained $81,180 in unemployment benefits. He used a debit card issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation to a person outside of Idaho and obtained money from an ATM in Coeur d'Alene. He did so with the intent to defraud, the report said.
The cards were not associated with anyone living in Idaho, therefore affecting interstate commerce, the report said.
Winebrenner is set for sentencing Nov. 14. He is one of nine people being prosecuted by the District of Idaho’s COVID Fraud Task Force, six of whom are from Idaho. He is the only one from North Idaho.
Idaho's COVID Task Force was formed in September 2022. In the past year, it has built a team of federal prosecutors and 11 federal agencies focused on prosecuting cases related to pandemic-related programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Unemployment Insurance and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The Task Force has now charged a dozen defendants criminally and obtained civil judgments against three defendants. The amount of fraud associated with the cases is over $7 million, according to the Department of Justice's report.
“Credit goes to the prosecutors and investigators who are sparing no effort to identify COVID fraud, to hold the perpetrators accountable, and to return stolen funds to the taxpayers,” Hurwit said in a news release.
"While I am proud of the successes we have had so far, the Task Force is still in its early phases," he said. "We will not rest until we have done everything in our power to seek justice against those who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to line their pockets through fraud.”
Winebrenner appeared in court before a U.S. magistrate judge Aug. 18. He is facing up to 10 years in prison, up to three years supervised probation upon his release and a maximum fine of $250,000. He must pay back the $81,180 in restitution to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.