Former state worker pleads guilty in federal bribery conspiracy, identity theft

FOX 2 - A Redford woman and former state of Michigan employee pleaded guilty Thursday to bribery and identity theft charges.

The backstory:

Janine Rayford, 39, worked for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency and pleaded to conspiring to commit federal program bribery and aggravated identity theft.  

Rayford faces a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment for having engaged in aggravated identity theft and also faces up to five years’ imprisonment for having conspired to engage in federal program bribery.

While working for the state agency, she accepted more than $50,000 in bribe payments. She then admitted that as part of the bribery conspiracy, she:

-Accessed unemployment insurance assistance claims without authorization

-Improperly dismissed and closed fraud prevention triggers and information requests relating to claims

-This included fraudulent claims; and caused improper benefit payments to be issued.

Rayford acknowledged more than $2.86 million in unemployment insurance assistance funding was issued to third-party claimants.

"If you’re a public official whose side hustle is taking bribes, your next job will be answering to a judge," said U.S. Attorney Jeropme F. Gorgon. "Corruption destroys public trust in government and will be aggressively prosecuted by my office."

Her sentencing is set for January 8, 2026.

"Former Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency employee, Janine Rayford, abused her position by misusing her access to sensitive employment information and state data systems to defraud the unemployment insurance program for personal financial gain," said Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.