Two Detroit men and a Warren woman helped a former Michigan resident who is currently in prison operate a $2.2 million scheme that involved submitting 240 fraudulent COVID unemployment insurance claims, officials said.

A Dearborn Heights man who worked at a pharmacy in Farmington Hills has been sentenced to prison for his role in a $9.8 million fraud scheme.

Federal officials said the two filed at least 66 fraudulent Michigan unemployment insurance benefits claims, causing a loss of more than $150,000. “As I have said before, those who steal unemployment benefits steal from all of us. Court records show they had the fraudulent benefits deposited into a variety of bank accounts, including some connected to prepaid debit cards. Officials said Armstrong has filed fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits on behalf of people in Michigan, California and Pennsylvania. “The UIA remains committed to working closely with all of our federal and state partners on the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force to bring unemployment fraud cases to justice.”