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Last updated on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
(MARTINSVILLE) - A Martinsville woman pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unemployment insurance fraud.
46-year-old Suzanne Hazel pleaded guilty in Morgan County Circuit Court after she defrauded the system by collecting unemployment insurance benefits while working for Monroe County Schools.
The investigation began when Hazel's ex-husband inquired as to why his Indiana state income tax return check was withheld. The department receives wage reports and new hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who is employed and receiving compensation. The agency uses this information to ensure people are not collecting unemployment insurance benefits while working.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development then began their investigate and discovered Hazel used her ex-husband's identity after the two were separated to file for unemployment benefits while she was employed at the Monroe County Community School System.
Hazel was ordered to repay $32,538 in restitution to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for the benefits she fraudulently collected. She was also sentenced to 60 days jail time, 60 days home detention with two years of probation.
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