Office of the Attorney General: Wakefield Woman Arraigned in Connection with Fraudulently Collecting More Than $8,000 in Unemployment Benefits

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

July 31, 2008

PEABODY – A Wakefield woman was arraigned yesterday on charges she schemed to collect more than $8,000 in unemployment benefits while continuing to work. Kristen Emery, age 36, was charged with Unemployment Fraud (20 counts) and Larceny over $250. According to authorities, Emery applied for unemployment benefits from the Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development’s Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in March 2007 while separated from her employer and began receiving benefits from April 2007 through October 2007. During part of this time, Emery was allegedly working as a human resources assistant at Peabody Motor Sports in Peabody, MA, and failed to disclose her employment status to DUA.

For each of the 21 weeks that Emery collected unemployment benefits, from May 2007 through October 2007, she allegedly notified the DUA that she was not working, but that she was able to work and was available for work. The alleged fraudulent activities were initially detected by investigators from the DUA. Emery was allegedly fraudulently paid unemployment benefits totaling $8,841.

Emery was arraigned yesterday in Peabody District Court at which time she entered a plea of not guilty and was released on personal recognizance. Emery is due back in court on September 4, 2008, for a pre-trial conference. Peabody District Court Judge Robert A. Brennan presided over today’s arraignment.

To report unemployment fraud to the DUA, call the agency’s toll free fraud hotline at 1-800-354-9927 anytime, 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous.

The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant Attorney General Michael J. Walsh of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division.