PHOENIX — A California man was sentenced this week to nearly three years in federal prison for his role in a scheme that defrauded pandemic unemployment programs in Arizona and California out of nearly $500,000, federal officials said.
Ronnie Lamar Strawberry Jr., 39, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
His sister, Raychelle Strawberry, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation for her involvement.
Prosecutors said the siblings used the personal information of more than 25 people — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — to file false claims through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program in both states.
“The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said in a statement. “He stole nearly $500,000 in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support struggling families and small businesses.”
Authorities emphasized their commitment to investigating and prosecuting pandemic-related fraud.
