Happened to one of my coworkers a couple weeks ago. Found out when the state sent out the claim paperwork to my boss.

Same here with a coworker last week. How are they getting the info to do this?

Last week the missus was informed by mail ( it obviously didn’t come through Peoria )

So is this like true identity theft where they have your ssn, are using your name on credit cards ? Or do they just get your name and employer somehow and just file using a bogus email address or something .

Seems to me a growth industry for young go-getters .


Prosecutors have filed felony charges against two men who allegedly carried guns during a brawl that stretched between a pair of Mag Mile department stores on Friday afternoon.

The charges come as 18th District cops seize an average of one gun per day on or near the landmark retail strip during December — including three firearms recovered on Sunday afternoon.


Around 2:20 p.m. Friday, police responded to multiple calls of two large groups brawling on the fourth floor of Neiman Marcus, 737 North Michigan. Some of the 911 callers reported seeing a handgun displayed, and people yelling, “he has a gun.”

Before police arrived, one of the groups ran out of the store and entered Saks Fifth Avenue across the street.

Cops arrested two men inside Saks for allegedly possessing illegal firearms. And one of the men is also charged with identity theft for allegedly carrying Illinois unemployment debit cards and bank debit cards bearing other people’s names.

Members of the second group reportedly began running as police arrived on the seventh floor of Saks Fifth Avenue, 700 North Michigan. Prosecutors said Theodric Williamson, 21, and Oshaei Southernland, 27, ran down several escalators to get away from police.

Southernland allegedly took off his jacket and ditched a fanny pack under a hand sanitizer station on the third floor. A store security officer monitoring surveillance cameras saw him hide the fanny pack, and another worker recovered it for police, prosecutors said.


Cops arrested Southernland on the first floor. They found a loaded 9-millimeter handgun, seven unemployment debit cards issued in other names, three bank debit cards issued in other names, and another person’s state ID inside the fanny pack, prosecutors alleged.

Police spoke with two of the people whose names appeared on the unemployment cards. Neither of them knows Southernland, and neither had filed for unemployment, Assistant State’s Attorney Carolyn Nevin said Sunday.

According to prosecutors, police also chased after the other man, Williamson, and found a gun in his waistband as he was arrested.

He is charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon. Judge David Navarro set his bail at $10,000 and ordered him to go onto electronic monitoring if he can post a $1,000 deposit bond.

Southernland is charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and identity theft. Navarro said he could get out of jail by posting a $2,500 deposit bond.


Approximate locations of gun seizures near the Magnificent Mile during December.
Police confiscated a third handgun during Friday’s incident, too, but no one is charged with possessing it.

About three hours after Southernland’s midday bond court appearance Sunday, Chicago police seized three handguns after a suspect crashed his car and ran from officers near Michigan Avenue and Walton Street. Charges are pending.

As of Sunday evening, at least 22 illegal firearms have been recovered by police on or near the Mag Mile during December, according to CPD reports.

Southernland is charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and identity theft. Navarro said he could get out of jail by posting a $2,500 deposit bond.

Shit half my day was dealing with this shit. You want to know why it is so easy to pull off? 100% online filing, zero proof of ID.

I hope some right-thinking judge will consider these men's futures and have the decency to release them on their own recognizance. I mean, who hasn't brawled at a department store while carrying illegal firearms while trying to purchase goods with fraudulent unemployment debit cards? Should their future as doctors or scientists be put in jeopardy over such petty crime?

EDIT:


What a terrible biased system of justice we have!

Is a judge setting a $2500 deposit bond now somehow supporting the horrible crime committed? I mean yeah it's not much for this piece of shit financially, probably, but a $2500 deposit bond isn't a tacit endorsement of the guy's horrible actions, is it? Seems a little cancel-culture-y.

Spiral will vouch for the character of this violent identity thief felon.

Too bad he doesn't sell beer.

hasnt happened to me, and this is NOT a thing.

All lies.

Why the fuck would someone try to give u some free unemployment? Whats there to gain? To somehow steal YOUR unemployment is one thing.

But NOBODY would go out of their way to give u free unemployment.

Stop the bullshit.

Last week the missus was informed by mail ( it obviously didn’t come through Peoria ) of her unemployment claim and her debit card arrived today !! Problem is she’s been gainfully employed the last 20 years . I guess this is a thing now ? People stealing identity and filing unemployment ? Who knew ?
?

I don't think it's fraud. I think it's some sort of error. My father and I both got the same letters and debit card.


If it is fraud, I doubt the debit card would be going to the person getting his identity stolen.