Scams led California to send COVID jobless benefits to Scott Peterson, death row inmates
Source: Los Angeles Times
San Quentin inmate Scott Peterson, convicted of killing his wife and unborn son, received California unemployment benefits in recent months, according to a group of state and federal prosecutors who have been investigating fraud in the pandemic relief system administered by the state Employment Development Department.
So did convicted serial killer Cary Stayner, who murdered two women and two girls near Yosemite in 1999 and now is jailed, near Peterson, on death row.
Also allegedly approved for an unemployment debit card: Isauro Aguirre, sentenced to death in 2018 for the torture and death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.
Nine district attorneys across California and a federal prosecutor on Tuesday made these allegations and called for Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene to stop such unemployment swindling in California jails and prisons.
Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-24/california-has-sent-jobless-benefits-to-death-row-inmates
The situation with the California Employment Development Department is just plain sad and they have failed the people throughout this entire pandemic. My biggest hope is that this next crackdown doesn't take money away from many legitimate recipients like the last one did, we really need to start doing better now not down the road. “One guy on a telephone call bragged he just bought a $400 watch for his mother thanks to the state,” this is totally unacceptable while people in need are cut off. Our lawmakers need to get off their asses and make this their number one priority because this has been going on most of the year and despite claims it has not improved, no one should have to spend hours a day on hold for weeks trying to fix the government's mistake while doing without.
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