{"id":35274,"date":"2022-08-18T16:12:29","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T20:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=35274"},"modified":"2022-08-18T16:12:29","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T20:12:29","slug":"wny-two-women-going-to-prison-in-separate-covid-fraud-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/08\/18\/wny-two-women-going-to-prison-in-separate-covid-fraud-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"WNY\/Two women going to prison in separate COVID fraud cases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Press release<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ROCHESTER\/BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that <strong><em>Danielle Tooley<\/em><\/strong>, 37, of Batavia, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud, was sentenced to serve six months in prison and pay approximately $18,000 in restitution by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between July 9 and December 4, 2020, Tooley applied for and collected unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled, benefits that were connected to federal COVID-19 relief programs. The scheme came to the attention of law enforcement on November 24, 2020, when Tooley was arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance during a vehicle traffic stop on Clinton Street in Bergen, NY. A New York State Police trooper observed a crack pipe with white residue inside Tooley\u2019s vehicle. As they prepared for Tooley\u2019s vehicle to be towed, troopers recovered six New York State unemployment benefit cards issued to individuals other than Tooley, which they turned over to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Subsequent investigation determined that Tooley consistently withdrew money from bank accounts associated with the benefit cards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a separate case,<em><strong> Shaneesha White<\/strong><\/em>, 32, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud involving benefits connected to a presidentially declared national emergency, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison and ordered to pay $48,833.15 in restitution to the NYS Department of Labor by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistant U.S. Attorney Rossi, who also handled the case of defendant White, stated that between June 2020 and February 2021, White applied for and received unemployment insurance benefits in her own name, under false and fraudulent pretenses. White and others also used the personal identifying information of two individuals fraudulently to create benefit accounts and collect benefits in the names of these individuals. The benefit money was deposited into bank accounts held and controlled by White at Key Bank. Key Bank also issued ATM cards in both the White\u2019s name and in the names of the two individuals, which White used to make cash withdrawals of the benefits. As a result of the fraud, White unlawfully collected $48,833.15 in benefits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It expands states\u2019 ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for benefits. The CARES Act provided for three new UI programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA); Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC); and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice\u2019s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/disaster-fraud\/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/disaster-fraud\/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations \u2013 Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John Pias; the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Burr; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Sharon B. MacDermott; and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Press release ROCHESTER\/BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Danielle Tooley, 37, of Batavia, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud, was sentenced to serve six months in prison and pay approximately $18,000 in restitution by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. \u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"continue-reading-button\"> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/08\/18\/wny-two-women-going-to-prison-in-separate-covid-fraud-cases\/\">Continue reading<i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11294,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,1,919],"tags":[2783],"class_list":["post-35274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-batavia","category-uncategorized","category-wny","tag-danielle-tooley"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-9aW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":33173,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/batavia-woman-pleads-guilty-to-covid-fraud\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":0},"title":"BATAVIA\/Woman pleads guilty to COVID fraud","author":"aka","date":"June 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Danielle R. Tooley, 37, of Batavia, NY, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/US-attorneys-logo.png?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":27769,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/09\/01\/genesee-county-batavia-woman-arrested-charged-with-covid-fraud\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Batavia woman arrested, charged with COVID fraud","author":"aka","date":"September 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release ROCHESTER, N.Y.-\u00a0U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Danielle Tooley, 36, of Batavia, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud and theft of government funds. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/US-attorneys-logo.png?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13399,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/01\/22\/state-police-report-batavia-man-facing-possession-of-sexual-performance-by-a-child-charges\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":2},"title":"STATE POLICE REPORT\/Batavia man facing possession of sexual performance by a child charges","author":"aka","date":"January 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"James E. Tripp, 58, of Batavia, is charged with three counts of possession of sexual performance by a child, a class E felony, after being arrested on January 21, 2020. The incident occurred on October 13, 2017. Tripp was issued an appearance ticket and will appear in the Town of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Genesee County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/SP2010-SP-HI-Quality-SEAL-GOLD.jpg?fit=525%2C515&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/SP2010-SP-HI-Quality-SEAL-GOLD.jpg?fit=525%2C515&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/SP2010-SP-HI-Quality-SEAL-GOLD.jpg?fit=525%2C515&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3808,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2018\/03\/07\/genesee-county-sheriffs-report-rochester-man-with-driving-privileges-revoked-10-times-charged\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":3},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFF&#8217;S REPORT\/Rochester man with driving privileges revoked 10 times charged","author":"aka","date":"March 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Felix Cabrera Lopez, 65, of Emerson St., Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation 1st and uninspected vehicle after allegedly operating a motor vehicle while having his driving privileges revoked or suspended at least 10 times on at least 10 different dates. Lopez was arrested on S. Lake avenue in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Genesee County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29843,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/12\/23\/genesee-county-indictments-24\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":4},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Indictments","author":"aka","date":"December 23, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"A Genesee County Grand Jury has indicted Danielle R. Tooley, accusing her of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th degree, a class D felony, after she knowingly and unlawfully possessed a controlled substance, cocaine,weighing 500 milligrams or more on November 24, 2020 in the town of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Genesee County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":65630,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/06\/27\/orleans-county-sgt-torry-tooley-named-as-commander-of-the-orleans-county-sheriffs-office-special-response-team-srt\/","url_meta":{"origin":35274,"position":5},"title":"ORLEANS COUNTY\/Sgt. Torry Tooley named as Commander of the Orleans County Sheriff\u2019s Office Special Response Team (SRT)","author":"aka","date":"June 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Sheriff Christopher M. Bourke is proud to announce the appointment of Sergeant Torry Tooley as Commander of the Orleans County Sheriff\u2019s Office Special Response Team (SRT). The SRT is a specialized unit comprised of members from both the Sheriff\u2019s Office and the Albion Police Department, trained to respond\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Orleans County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Orleans County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/orleans-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot_20250627_142643_Outlook.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot_20250627_142643_Outlook.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot_20250627_142643_Outlook.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot_20250627_142643_Outlook.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/US-attorneys-logo.png?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35274"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35276,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35274\/revisions\/35276"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}