Man pleads guilty to conspiring with former Michigan unemployment agency employee to steal $550K

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit man pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring with a former Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency employee to steal $550,000.

William Haynes, 26, worked with Autumn Mims, who has also pleaded guilty.

According to the Department of Justice, Mims was an unemployment insurance examiner who would review claims to ensure they were legitimate.

Authorities allege that shortly after she began working for the unemployment agency she began using her insider access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties without their knowledge or authorization.

Mims and Haynes are also accused of opening unauthorized bank accounts in the names of third parties. Unemployment insurance claim payments were then issued to those illegitimate accounts. The pair is accused of spending that money.

Authorities said agents found "significant evidence of fraud" while searching Mims' home.

"We are committed to prosecuting those who engage in schemes to steal public funds," said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. "We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring them to justice, whether they are insiders who abuse their positions of trust or outsiders who enable that abuse."

Haynes will be sentenced Nov. 28. He faces up to 20 years in prison.