Press Release  Weymouth Man Arraigned in Scheme to Steal More Than $40,000 in Unemployment Benefits While in Jail

Boston — A Weymouth man has been arraigned in connection with a scheme to fraudulently collect more than $40,000 in unemployment benefits while in jail, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. 

Colin Glynn, 45, has been arraigned on charges of Unemployment Fraud (64 counts) and Larceny Over $250.

Authorities allege that Glynn conspired to steal tens of thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits during his incarceration between May 2011 and September 2012. The alleged scheme was initially investigated by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Unemployment Assistance (EOLWD\DUA) and referred to the Attorney General’s Office for prosecution following an anonymous tip.  

According to authorities, Glynn applied for and began receiving unemployment benefits from EOLWD\DUA in December 2010 after being separated from his employer. In May 2011 Glynn was incarcerated on unrelated charges. Authorities allege that during his incarceration, Glynn, or someone acting on his behalf, falsely certified his unemployment claims notifying EOLWD\DUA that he was not working but that he was able to work and was available for work.

As a result of this alleged scheme, Glynn fraudulently collected unemployment benefits totaling more than $40,000 over 64 weeks.

A Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments against Glynn on March 30. Glynn was arraigned today in Suffolk Superior Court where he pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance. He is due back in court on June 24 for a pre-trial conference. Clerk Magistrate Anne Kaczmarek presided over the arraignment. 

The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides temporary assistance to unemployed workers through the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, which is funded by employer contributions. Private employers are required to pay quarterly contributions into the trust fund based on the number of workers they employ and how often their workers have accessed UI benefits, among other factors.

DUA’s Program Integrity Department focuses on the prevention, detection and the investigation of those who defraud or attempt to defraud the unemployment insurance program. Once fraud is detected, the Program Integrity Department works aggressively with the Attorney General’s office and other agencies to recover money owed to the UI Trust Fund.

AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division works to protect consumers and the integrity of the insurance system by investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against all types of insurers, including the Commonwealth’s unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems. 

Assistant Attorney General Joshua Pakstis of AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division is prosecuting this case with the assistance of investigator John Keating of the Attorney General’s Office and Kendrick Raine of EOLWD\DUA.

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