MIKE DEWINE AND JON HUSTED TRY TO GASLIGHT OHIO AS THEY LET UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD RUN RAMPANT

09/02/21

Cleveland, OH – Mike DeWine and Jon Husted presided over Ohio’s massive unemployment fraud that occurred during the past year. According to reports, “Ohio paid out roughly $2.1 billion in unemployment benefits to fraudsters or people who received overpayments.”

Now they want to gaslight Ohio and take a victory lap for paying back an unemployment loan to the federal government – a loan that was only necessary because of their gross mismanagement – while billions of dollars were fraudulently dispersed under their watch.

Even DeWine and Husted were aware of the widespread fraud occurring as it happened to them personally. This should have sounded alarm bells, but according to a news report quoting an expert on fraud prevention, “Ohio – unlike other states – failed to put measures in place to detect and prevent massive unemployment fraud…”

Instead of giving Governor DeWine credit for paying off a loan he had to take out, Ohioans should be asking how he allowed Ohio’s unemployment system to become so fraudulently broken to begin with. 

Read the news coverage below:

COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Ohio's unemployment fraud, overpayments tops $2.1 billion

“Ohio paid out roughly $2.1 billion in unemployment benefits to fraudsters or people who received overpayments and it's unclear whether repayment will be demanded, state unemployment officials said Monday.

“Since the pandemic began in March 2020 through March 2021, Ohio issued $462 million in fraudulent payments and $1.66 billion in overpayments, according to Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Interim Director Matt Damschroder.”



“In February, Ohio officials estimated $332 million had been paid out in 2020 in fraudulent checks.”

DAYTON DAILY NEWS: Unemployment fraud so ‘widespread’ it even happened to DeWine and Husted

“Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said Tuesday that they each received notice that unemployment claims had been made in their names — an indication that the fraud is widespread.”



“Husted said preliminary discussions show [fraudulent claims are] a ‘pretty big number.’”

“Ohio Department of Job and Family Services spokesman Tom Betti said ‘We’re expecting tens of thousands.’”

DAYTON DAILY NEWS: Expert: Ohio lags other states in stopping huge unemployment fraud

“Ohio — unlike other states — failed to put measures in place to detect and prevent massive unemployment fraud that’s part of a scheme that could total $100 billion nationally, an expert told the Dayton Daily News.”

“The widespread fraud also has delayed payment to Ohioans with legitimate claims.”