Department of Employment Security Commissioner George Copadis and Attorney General Joseph A. Foster announce that Justin Brown of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to one count of class A felony unemployment compensation fraud. Between December 6, 2014 and March 28, 2015, Mr. Brown filed for 17 weeks of unemployment compensation benefits while knowingly failing to report his employment in order to obtain unemployment compensation benefits. As a result, he fraudulently received $5,814.00 in unemployment benefits.

Mr. Brown was sentenced to 12 months in the House of Corrections, with all but 45 days deferred for six months and then suspended for three years conditioned on good behavior, restitution in the amount of $5,814.00 plus a 20% penalty of $1,162.80 for a total of $6,976.80, meaningful participation in any counseling, treatment and educational programs as directed by the correctional authority, and the use of his case in the Department of Employment Security Benefits Rights Interview video, which discusses the ramifications of committing unemployment fraud. Mr. Brown has the ability to petition the court to reduce the suspension period to two years should he repay his restitution within that time period. Mr. Brown is disqualified from the receipt of unemployment compensation benefits for 52 weeks.

The Department of Employment Security provides unemployment compensation benefits to eligible claimants who are unemployed through no fault of their own. The Department investigates and prosecutes both criminal and civil unemployment compensation fraud, with the goal of protecting New Hampshire's unemployment fund.