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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm not saying that the BEP faces this problem
exactly, but I'm presenting this story in order to show that even the slickest
among us may get nailed; and we have more than our share of slicksters in the
area of employer responsibilities.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message -----<BR>Sent: Wednesday,
October 31, 2012 21:29<BR>Subject: Unemployment Fraud case<BR>Could BEP operator
fraud be next case?<BR>Tuesday, October 30, 2012<BR>Lansing<BR> mother, son
convicted on federal charges in alleged unemployment fraud 8:44 PM,<BR>Oct 30,
2012 | .<BR>GRAND RAPIDS - The owners of a Lansing<BR> landscaping company
face prison time after being convicted on federal charges in<BR>an alleged
scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance system. Kevin Romando
Johnson,<BR>39, and his mother, Sara Johnson, 69, both of<BR>Lansing<BR>, were
found guilty of mail fraud Tuesday after a six-day trial in U.S.
District<BR>Court in<BR>Grand Rapids<BR>, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Kevin
Johnson also was convicted of making a false<BR>statement to a federal agent.
The government alleged the Johnsons, who owned Lansing<BR>Total Lawn Care,
coerced laid-off employees to apply for unemployment benefits and<BR>forced them
to work during the winter months with no pay. Some workers also
testified<BR>they were forced to give the defendants money from their
unemployment checks, the<BR>attorneys office said. Mail fraud is punishable by
up to 20 years in prison and a<BR>fine of $250,000 or up to twice the amount of
loss caused by the scheme. Lying to<BR>a federal agent is punishable by up to 5
years in prison and a $250,000 fine.<BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>