Purse Ho
Published on April 07, 2022 at 11:15 a.m.
A Kunkletown man has been accused of using his daughter’s identity to falsely obtain unemployment benefits over $25,000.
Detective Alexander Marek of the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office filed documents against Craig McKenna:
On October 7, McKenna’s daughter called the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigations Division to report that she had learned that her identity was being used to obtain unemployment benefits.
McKenna said that in March 2020, when she was 17, she was laid off from her part-time restaurant job due to the COVID pandemic.
Her father, Craig McKenna, 37, helped her complete the application, using his personally identifying information on May 10, 2020, but used his home address for the mailing address, and his cell phone number and his email address for contact details.
Two checks were issued in his name in the amount of $1,750 and $3,240, and were signed with his name and McKenna’s name on the back of the checks.
Both checks were electronically deposited into her father’s bank account on May 14, 2020.
The victim said she did not know them and did not sign her name on the checks McKenna was to deposit in her bank account.
Four other checks were issued and deposited in the same manner.
On June 1, 2020, McKenna received an email notification from PDU that payment was being sent by check to McKenna’s address.
On or about June 10, 2020, McKenna received an email notification that a US Bank ReliaCard would be delivered and PUIA funds would be loaded onto the card to replace paper checks. The US Bank ReliaCard was issued in McKenna’s name.
The victim left McKenna’s home in April 2021.
In August 2021, her aunt saw that McKenna had a debit card for unemployment benefits, although McKenna was employed at the time.
The aunt took the information to the victim, who thought her claim had been denied.
According to court documents, McKenna was involved in a similar scheme several years ago. In 2009, McKenna was charged with identity theft, access device fraud, and theft for failure to provide required funds.
The victim contacted the organization administering the unemployment funds and verified that the funds, including an initial lump sum, had been issued in the name of the victim’s account using his personal identifying information from around June 2020 and until August 2021.
The victim said that McKenna’s phone number and email address were used to control the account, and she received transaction records for the debit card, which have her and McKenna’s address on the statements. .
ReliaCard Bank records indicated an attempted transfer of $1,000 in funds from the debit card to McKenna’s personal checking account on September 17, 2020.
The transaction was declined, but a cash withdrawal of $500 was made on the same date and another withdrawal of $200 on September 18, 2020.
On September 20, 2020, McKenna deposited $200 through the ATM into his Citizen’s Bank checking account. On February 3, 2021, $500 was withdrawn from the debit card and on the same day $500 was deposited via ATM into McKenna’s checking account. Debit card records indicate there was a notification to McKenna when funds were deposited to the card.
In total, the amount fraudulently acquired by McKenna from the unemployment account in her daughter’s name was approximately $25,951.
McKenna faces six counts of forgery and one count each of identity theft, tampering with fraudulent access devices; and theft by deception.
He is currently free on $10,000 unsecured bond and is due to have a preliminary hearing on May 13 before District Judge Collen Mancuso of Brodheadsville.