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March 2, 2009
ALBANY – Stephen Wyllie has investigated dead people who have seemingly been resurrected — just in time to claim unemployment insurance benefits.
He has found prisoners who were receiving unemployment benefits.
"It's kind of hard to be ready, willing and able to work when you're locked up in Attica or Franklin Correctional Facility," said Wyllie, assistant director of the special investigations unit of the state Department of Labor.
One time Wyllie even busted a Department of Labor employee who was committing fraud by filing a false claim under his mother's name and collecting the benefits unbeknownst to her.
Little wonder the special investigations unit found nearly $30 million in fraudulent claims in 2008 — about $14 million of which has been paid back — and 22,760 instances of willful misrepresentation. In 2008, it received 31,879 referrals and tips, mostly from employers, ex-partners, jilted lovers and cross-match queries.
Wyllie said his unit received 6,319 referrals for the two-month period that ended Tuesday. At that pace, they would receive about 37,914 referrals in 2009 — an increase of 18.9 percent.
"I know we're going to have more cases this year," said Wyllie, who began working as an unemployment insurance investigator in 1977. "People are on unemployment longer; it's not a good time right now financially for people. They're going to cheat. I know that sounds like I'm being gloomy, but I've been doing this 32 years."
The technology at the department's disposal makes it "pretty easy" to nab wrongful claimants, he said, so "it might be two years down the road, but we'll probably get ya."
Wyllie, 58, said he's considered a dogged investigator, but it's important not to wrongfully accuse a suspect, and there are times after he gets his man that he feels sorry for him.
"I think there's something wrong with you if you don't feel empathy or feel a little sorry for them," he said. ".'I needed the money so I could feed my three kids.' We all could really understand that. Sometimes I want to tell them, 'Unemployment you have to qualify for and welfare is based on need.' But if you sat there and told someone that, it's sort of heartless.
"I've had them cry."
Brian Ettkin can be reached e-mail at bettkin@timesunion.com.
2008 state unemployment insurance fraud
Fraudulent claims amount: $29,952,501.62
Cases of willful misrepresentation: 22,760
Cases referred for prosecution: 640
Prosecutions completed: 516
Convictions: 469
Acquittals: 2
Other: 45
Source: state Department of Labor Office of Special Investigations
The hot line for reporting suspected unemployment insurance fraud is (888) 598-2077. Providing the person's name, address, age, Social Security number, place of employment and reason for ineligibility will assist investigators.
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