Johnston Man Among 24 Arrested In Unemployment Fraud Case

Rhode Island State Police Supt. Col. Steven G. O’Donnell today announced the arrests of 24 people for the felony offense of Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses Over $500.

Officers from the , as well as members of the police departments in Warwick and Pawtucket and the U.S. Marshals Service, assisted the State Police in their investigation into fraudulent collection of state unemployment benefits, according to a press release issued by the State Police on Mar. 15.

Among those arrested was Johnston resident Peter J. Lombardi, 62, of 5 Scenic Rd. Collectively, the 24 people collected more than $225,000 in umeployment benefits for which they were not eligible.

“It’s unfortunate that individuals continue to abuse unemployment insurance.  These services are intended for our citizens in need," O'Donnell said in the statement. "The Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, in a collaborative effort, will continue to aggressively and proactively seek out these offenders.”

The cases were referred to the Rhode Island State Police Detective Bureau by investigators from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Fraud Unit who had identified these individuals as falsely representing to the Department of Labor and Training that they were unemployed or under-reported the wages they were receiving from their employer.