BALTIMORE, MD — Daiwor Woah-Tee, 51, of Belcamp, and Dekwii Woah-Tee, 46, of Rosedale, Maryland, have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for a fraudulent scheme to steal over $1 million in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
The indictment alleges that between March 2020 and September 2021, the two men conspired to file fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and Lost Wages Assistance Program (LWAP) claims using victims’ personal identifying information—such as names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers—to submit fraudulent applications to state workforce agencies, including the Maryland Department of Labor.
These programs, expanded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provided additional unemployment benefits. Authorities state that the Woah-Tees’ fraudulent claims resulted in the theft of over $1 million in benefits.
If convicted, the defendants could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. However, as is standard with criminal indictments, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to pursue justice for those victimized by fraudulent activity during the pandemic.
