Arizona street gang indicted after alleged involvement in pandemic assistance fraud scheme
Apr 20, 2024, 8:00 PM | Updated: Apr 21, 2024, 10:36 am
A grand jury returned a 50-count indictment against the Arizona Mexican Mafia, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Friday. (Photo by Matias Delacroix/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matias Delacroix/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Members of the Arizona Mexican Mafia received a 50-count indictment after fraudulently filing for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Friday.
Thirty members and associates were indicted by a state grand jury for their alleged participation in a criminal syndicate that involved filing fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims between 2020 and 2021.
The mafia members gave fake information to receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds. In turn, they used those payments to fund and facilitate the Arizona Mexican Mafia’s actions, according to officials.
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The mafia members and associates are being charged with fraudulent schemes and artifices, money laundering, assisting a criminal street gang, trafficking stolen property, conspiracy, forgery, participating in a criminal syndicate, participating in a criminal street gang and illegal control of an enterprise, according to court documents.
The FBI Phoenix Violent Street Gangs Task Force and the United States Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s Covid Fraud Unit investigated the case.
