A Louisiana man has admitted in federal court that he conspired to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related unemployment benefits while serving time in a Mississippi prison.
According to a Tuesday news release from the Department of Justice, Travis Thorn, 45, of Monroe, La., pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors said Thorn worked with another individual to submit fraudulent unemployment claims to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security while he was incarcerated with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
As an inmate, Thorn was not eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Authorities said some of the fraudulently obtained funds were deposited into his prison commissary account.
The benefits were funded through the CARES Act, the federal pandemic relief law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance and expand…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.