Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and Department of Employment Security Commissioner George Copadis announce that Roger Dwinell of Bennington, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday in the Hillsborough County Superior Court, Northern District, to one count of class A felony unemployment compensation fraud. Between April 23, 2016 and February 5, 2017, Mr. Dwinell filed for 15 weeks of unemployment compensation benefits while knowingly failing to report his employment in order to obtain or increase his benefits. As a result, he fraudulently received $1,401.00 in unemployment benefits.

Mr. Dwinell was sentenced to 12 months in the House of Corrections, with six months suspended for two years conditioned on good behavior, meaningful participation in any counseling, treatment and educational programs as directed by the correctional authority, and the use of his likeness in the Department of Employment Security Benefits Rights Interview, which discusses the ramifications of committing unemployment fraud. The Court recommended administrative home confinement for the stand committed portion of his sentence. Mr. Dwinell is disqualified from the receipt of unemployment compensation benefits for 52 weeks. At sentencing, Mr. Dwinell repaid the benefits received in the amount of $1,401.00 plus a 20% penalty of $280.20.

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.