LOS ANGELES
A federal grand jury indicted a Pasadena man this week alleging that he used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits, officials announced Friday.
Robert Sloan Mateer used to purchase a Maserati luxury SUV, prosecutors stated.
A federal grand jury named Mateer, 30, in a five-count indictment charging him with possession of at least 15 or more unauthorized access devices with the intent to defraud, aggravated identity theft, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to a court affidavit, during a traffic stop on October 1, Pasadena police arrested Mateer and found inside his Maserati 17 unemployment benefits debit cards, several other credit and debit cards, approximately $197,711 in cash, more than 85 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm with no serial number.
Evidence gathered during the investigation determined that at least 14 of the 17 debit cards were loaded with at least $133,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, later determined to have been issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in March, and had been issued in the names of third-parties, including identity theft victims.
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) distributes unemployment insurance benefits under the CARES Act, which expanded unemployment benefits to cover those who were previously ineligible, including business owners, self-employed workers, and independent contractors, who were put out of business or significantly reduced their services because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the affidavit, Mateer admitted to obtaining the unemployment benefits debit cards by using “thousands” of identity profiles in his possession, that each debit card was loaded with approximately $14,500, and that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits to purchase the Maserati automobile.
Mateer also admitted that he withdrew the approximately $197,711 in cash found in his Maserati from ATMs across the Los Angeles area, the affidavit states. Mateer also allegedly withdrew approximately $13,840 from the EDD debit cards in his possession from September 19 to September 25.
Mateer was taken into federal custody on Oct.21 and was ordered detained pending trial. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted of all charges, Mateer is facing up to life in prison.