Detroit-Area Man Pleads Guilty in $500,000 Multi-State Unemployment Fraud Scheme

Overview

• Nicholas Overton, 32, pleaded guilty Jan. 7 in the Eastern District of Michigan before Judge Denise Page Hood to one count each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
• Court records say he submitted nearly 90 fraudulent unemployment claims across 20 states, bringing in more than $500,000, including about $544,540 detailed in filings.
• The claims used stolen personal information from people who did not authorize the filings and were unaware their identities had been compromised.
• Prosecutors say the scheme ran from May 2020 to April 2022, with many claims tied to Michigan, California, New York and Arizona.
• Sentencing is set for May 7, 2026, with a maximum of 20 years on the fraud count plus a mandatory consecutive two years for identity theft; the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case, and other counts will be dismissed under the plea.