13 SoCal workers face charges for $430,000 unemployment fraud

CALIFORNIA – The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on October 14 that 13 county employees across seven agencies have been charged with felony grand theft.

The employees are accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $437,000 in unemployment benefits between 2020 and 2023.

Each of the 13 employees faces one felony grand theft charge and a lesser misdemeanor offense.

While employed and receiving county pay between 2020 and 2023, the defendants allegedly filed false unemployment claims with the state, certifying under penalty of perjury that they earned less than $600 per week.

In reality, they earned more than $600 a week, making them ineligible for unemployment benefits.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said as government employees, we have an obligation to uphold the public’s trust.

“Most egregiously, these individuals allegedly claimed to be unemployed during the COVID pandemic when millions of Californians were legitimately in need of unemployment benefits,” he said.

List of cases

The following cases were filed Oct. 9 and 10:

Alla Agamalian (3/26/83), Justice, Care and Opportunity Department administrative manager, allegedly stole $37,800 between Oct. 2020 and March 2023. Arraignment is set for Nov. 13 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Aurora Lopez Bautista (10/28/67), Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker, allegedly stole $9,349 between April 2020 and Jan. 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 20 in Department 30.
Derrick Anthony Callella (7/25/83), Department of Health Services intermediate clerk, allegedly stole $9,984 between May 2020 and Jan. 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 20 in Department 30.
Donisha Nicole Brumfield (8/13/83), Child Support Services Department secretary, allegedly stole $39,600 between Oct. 2020 and March 2023. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30.
Ivan Jacob Mariscal (12/24/75), Department of Public Social Services eligibility worker, allegedly stole $11,700 between May 2020 and May 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 13 in Department 30.
Jessica Antonia Chandler (5/9/88), Department of Children and Family Services social worker, allegedly stole $48,900 between July 2020 and Jan. 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 14 in Department 30.
Chandra Kameko Tisdale (2/13/76), Department of Children and Family Services social worker, allegedly stole $57,900 between March 2020 and Oct. 2021. The case was filed for warrant.
Kelley Collins (4/4/70), Department of Public Social Services eligibility supervisor, allegedly stole $56,400 between March 2020 and Oct. 2021. The case was filed for warrant.
Mary Theresa Thomas (3/19/70), Department of Children and Family Services social worker, allegedly stole $10,350 between Sept. 2020 and Nov. 2021. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30.
Raquel Martinez-Alvarez (2/21/85), Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department non-sworn security employee, allegedly stole $54,900 between April 2020 and Oct. 2021. The case was filed for warrant.
Shalita Viola Hammell (5/4/79), Department of Children and Family Services human services aide, allegedly stole $35,850 between Nov. 2020 and Dec. 2021. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30.
Toni Chereece Pittmon (8/24/69), Department of Children and Family Services secretary, allegedly stole $52,950 between July 2020 and Dec. 2022. Arraignment is set for Nov. 6 in Department 30.

The following case was filed Aug. 19:

Ynna Aghabegian (11/3/90), Department of Auditor-Controller senior accountant-auditor, allegedly stole $11,700 between Oct. 2021 and April 2022. She pleaded not guilty at arraignment on Sept. 24. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 26 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Defendants face up to three years in prison

If convicted, each defendant faces up to three years in state prison.

The Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller’s Office investigates fraud, waste, and abuse within County government through its Fraud Hotline.

The office estimates the County lost over $3.75 million to pandemic unemployment fraud, including $1.7 million linked to County employees and additional losses from criminals using employee identities.

Overall, Los Angeles County public and private employers lost an estimated $10 billion to pandemic-era Employment Development Department (EDD) fraud.