Ex-contract worker's accomplice pleads guilty in Mich. unemployment insurance scheme

A Detroit man pleaded guilty to helping a former unemployment agency worker steal more than $550,000 in a fraud and identity theft scheme, officials said Wednesday.

William Haynes, 26, entered the guilty plea Tuesday in federal court, according to U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison.

Haynes admitted to engaging in a criminal conspiracy with Autumn Mims, a former contract worker for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, Ison said in a statement. Mims was an examiner and her job was to review, process and verify unemployment insurance claims.

Haynes is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 28, 2023. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Officials said Haynes has agreed to pay $448,614 in restitution.

"William Haynes conspired with former Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Examiner Autumn Mims to defraud the state of Michigan," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region, in a statement. "Haynes worked with Mims to certify Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) unemployment insurance (UI) claims he knew were fraudulent. The proceeds from the fraudulent claims were deposited into bank accounts that Haynes and Mims controlled."

Authorities said shortly after Mims started working for the agency in August 2020, she began using her access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties without their knowledge or permission.

As part of the scheme, Haynes altered direct deposit information for the claims, accessed claim information without authorization, completed false and fraudulent certifications for benefits, opened bank accounts in the names of third parties, provided stolen identification information to Mims and withdrew cash in the names of those third parties.

Mims pleaded guilty in May to federal charges related to the scheme. She is scheduled to be sentenced in September and faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for aggravated identity theft and up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez