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A Corona woman was charged with creating a group that defrauded the state of millions in unemployment insurance benefits, while serving a life sentence for helping murder her mother back in 2001. The Department of Justice charged 13 defendants, five of whom were detained, with defrauding California out of $2 million in pandemic-related unemployment insurance by using stolen identities, some of which belonged to California prison inmates.
Natalie Le Demola, 37, the ring leader of the group is being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; the conspiracy count alleges 150 overt acts. The indictment also charged Carleisha Neosha Plummer, 32, of Los Angeles, who conspired with Demola.
The scheme was investigated by Los Angeles El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force led by Homeland Security.