An Ohio woman used 50 stolen identities to collect unemployment benefits in eight states, according to the inspector general (IG) of the Social Security Administration.
Audrey Costar, 46, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for stealing identities over the internet and collecting $78,674 in fraudulent unemployment benefits.
Using 50 fake identities, Costar collected benefits from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah between February 2009 and December 2012. She was also on unemployment through her own name at the time.
"Costar used some of the identities to open bank accounts or cash value cards over the Internet to which the unlawful unemployment benefits would be deposited," the IG said. "After the payments were made, Costar would withdraw the payments using an automated teller machine and used the money for her own benefit."
"When one state cut [Costar] off, she would move to another and start again," the Columbus Dispatch reported.
The paper also reported that Costar’s attorney blamed her actions on "fallout from long-term mental-health issues."
Costar had pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of government funds and two counts of aggravated identity theft in April. At sentencing on Aug. 9, she was also ordered to repay the more than $78,000 in illegal benefits.