Jobless pay investigation results in arrest of Morgan City woman

A Morgan City woman is one of eight people accused of falsely claiming unemployment benefits during the pandemic, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office reported.
Dana Ganaway, 51, has been charged with government benefits fraud in an arrest by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.
During an interview with LBI agents, she confessed to submitting false unemployment insurance claims and concealing her employment income for purposes to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, a press release from the AG’s Office said. Ganaway allegedly received $8,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits.
Six other people were arrested by the LBI and accused of being members of interstate groups that filed fraudulent unemployment claims.
“It is alleged that members of these groups filed multiple fraudulent online claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC),” the press release said. “In total: LBI asserts that over 100 false claims were filed with California EDD, resulting in over $1 million in stolen unemployment funds; and that several of the accused simultaneously submitted fraudulent claims to the LWC, resulting in more than $60,000 being stolen.
Arrested were:
—Dynasty Rowe, 26, Maringouin, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds, criminal conspiracy and government benefits fraud.
—Kendell Fowler, 42, Baton Rouge, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds and criminal conspiracy.
—Miquel Banks, 28, Plaquemine, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds, criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
—Lasia Brock, 20, Thibodaux, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds and government benefits fraud.
—Ashley Johnson, 32, Prairieville, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds, criminal conspiracy, money laundering and government benefits fraud.
—Darrolyn Bell, 29, Plaquemine, has been charged with illegal transmission of monetary funds, criminal conspiracy and government benefits fraud.
Another suspect, Cole Morden, 24, Denham Springs, has been charged with Government benefits fraud. He is accused of knowingly causing the submittal of weekly certifications to the Louisiana Workforce Commission and allegedly collecting over $800 in unemployment funds while incarcerated at the Livingston Parish Sherriff’s Office Correctional Facility.
“With the unemployment system being as overwhelmed and insecure as it has been, it is no surprise that bad actors are coming out of the woodworks to take advantage of it,” said Attorney General Jeff Landry. “So my office will continue investigating false claims and doing what we legally can to bring criminals to justice.”
The arrests were made with assistance from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
The AG’s Office noted that the investigations are ongoing and all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Those who know someone fraudulently receiving funds from the Unemployment Trust Fund or who believe they have been victimized may report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation at www.agjefflandry.com/unemployment/fraud/complaint.