Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Scheme During COVID-19 Pandemic

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Michael Cooley, Jr., aka “Micheal Cooley Jr.,” “5Micmusik,” and “Michael White,” 26, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 87 months in federal prison. In January 2025, Cooley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor and California Employment Development Department.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentencing with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to the guilty plea, from at least June 2020 through March 2021, Cooley conspired with Isiah Lewis, 35, of Prince George’s County, and Alonzo Brown, 27, of Virginia, to devise and execute a scheme to defraud individuals and multiple state workforce agencies, including in Maryland and California, of more than $800,000 in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, successfully obtaining more than $300,000.  The scheme was sophisticated and used personal identifiable information — such as name, date of birth, and social security number — from more than 60 individuals to file online UI applications in Maryland and California, using anonymous email addresses to obscure their identities and avoid detection.  

At sentencing, Judge Griggsby found that Cooley held a managerial role in the conspiracy. Additionally, Judge Griggsby ordered Cooley to pay restitution of $310,428.08 to the victims and to forfeit all money, property, and/or assets derived from the scheme, including a money judgment of $310,428.08. 

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