‘Hundreds of millions’ in bogus jobless benefits paid out

By RACHEL LA CORTE Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Impostors have used the stolen information of tens of thousands of people in Washington state to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in unemployment benefits. Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine says that the state is currently working with federal law enforcement, financial institutions and the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate the fraud. LeVine said that she can’t release specific numbers or details while the investigation is ongoing. More than 1.1 million people in Washington have filed for unemployment benefits since businesses started closing in March because of COVID-19. The state has paid out nearly $3.8 billion in benefits.