Bay Area Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Identity Theft Scheme to Steal State Disability Benefits

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Jermila McCoy, 34, of Oakland, was sentenced today to nine years and two months in prison for charges related to a large identity theft scheme to defraud the State of California of disability insurance benefits, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, McCoy used stolen identities of individuals throughout California to file for disability benefits with the California Employment Development Department. She then caused those disability benefits claims to be certified using the stolen identities of doctors throughout the State of California. Many of the doctors whose identities were used do not certify any disability claims as part of their practice. For example, one physician was employed at a state prison and only treated inmates of that prison. After a claim was filed and certified, McCoy received the fraudulent disability benefits at addresses she controlled. Over 250 stolen identities were used to get fraudulent benefits as part of this scheme and the defendants took over $1.5 million of fraudulent benefits.

This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the California Employment Development Department, Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jared C. Dolan prosecuted the case.