An Inland Empire woman has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for her involvement in a $1.7 million COVID-19 benefits fraud scheme. Jasmine Unique Mallard-McCarter, also known as “JassyMC,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who ordered her to pay $1,765,407 in restitution.
McCarter, 30, from Eastvale, pleaded guilty on February 28 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She impersonated others to apply for government benefits and used personal information from co-conspirators to obtain benefits on their behalf despite their ineligibility.
Additionally, McCarter charged fees for instructing others on how to fraudulently apply for government benefits and acted as a broker for counterfeit documents such as Social Security cards and driver’s licenses. These documents were used to deceive the government into paying unjustified benefits.
Her fraudulent services were advertised on Instagram under the handles “JassyMc” and “EliteRealEstateandBusiness.” In her posts, she referred to herself as the “Jass of All Trades,” highlighting her ability to file fraudulent applications and broker counterfeit documents for a fee.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown prosecuted the case.
In response to pandemic-related frauds like this one, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021. The task force aims to enhance efforts against pandemic-related fraud by coordinating resources across various government agencies.
Furthermore, on September 15, 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California were selected to lead one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. This initiative focuses on large-scale pandemic relief fraud cases involving criminal organizations and transnational actors.
Individuals with information about attempted COVID-19 fraud can report it through the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or via their web complaint form.
