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| Government Corruption |
| Former Michigan Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Identity Theft Over $2.8M |
| 2025-09-08 |
| [TOWNHALL] A former employee of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency pleaded guilty to take bribes. Janine Rayford, 39, of Redford, pleaded guilty before Judge Judith E. Levy. She admitted to causing about $2.86 million in benefits issued to claimants. She conspired to commit federal program bribery and engaging in aggravated identity theft. Court records say that while Rayford worked for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, Rayford accepted more than $50,000 in bribe payments. She admitted that she accessed unemployment insurance assistance claims without authorization; improperly dismissed and closed fraud prevention triggers and information requests relating to claims, including claims she knew to be fraudulent; and caused improper benefit payments to be issued. Sentencing is set for January 8, 2026, before Judge Levy. Rayford faces a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment for having engaged in aggravated identity theft and also faces up to five years' imprisonment for having conspired to engaged in federal program bribery. U.S. Attorney Gorgon stated, ''If you're a public official whose side hustle is taking bribes, your next job will be answering to a judge. Corruption destroys public trust in government and will be aggressively prosecuted by my office.'' |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Grom the Affective 2025-09-08 07:36 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2025-09-08 06:56 |