A Portland man has been sentenced to federal prison for fraudulently claiming over $147,000 in unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthew Kemp, 41, received a six-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release, as announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
From July 2020 to January 2021, Kemp exploited the personal information of 17 individuals to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment benefits for himself. Some victims believed he was helping them legitimately, while others were unaware their data was being misused. He redirected the funds to himself via checks or prepaid debit cards and even contacted the Oregon Employment Department, posing as applicants to resolve any issues with the payments.
Kemp's fraudulent activities caught up with him when a federal grand jury indicted him on seven charges, including mail fraud and theft of government funds. He pleaded guilty to theft of government funds on June 14. The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith D.M. Bateman leading the prosecution.
In addition to his prison sentence, Kemp must repay $147,294 to the Oregon Employment Department as restitution for his fraudulent claims.
