Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, DOL NEWS—OIG investigation results in prison for ‘fraudfluencer’ implicated in $2.8 million benefits scam as DOL contractor, (Aug 6, 2026)

By Jason Albright, J.D.

While working as a contract employee for DOL’s Employment Development Department, according to the OIG, she advertised her fraud services on Instagram.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports that a Carson, California woman and former contract employee for DOL’s Employment Development Department (EDD) was sentenced on August 3 to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for fraudulently obtaining $2.8 million in government benefits. The defendant, who pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was also ordered by a federal district judge to pay $2,811,265 in restitution.

“Fraudfluencer.” While working as a contract employee for EDD, according to the OIG, the “fraudfluencer” advertised her services on Instagram, using handles “Britisshh” and “TheDealGoat_.” In her social media posts, she advertised that she could file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, grant applications, and rent relief applications in exchange for a fee.

Assumed identities. The defendant, according to the OIG, then assumed the identities of other individuals to submit online applications for government benefits, which she subsequently used for her own purposes. She also submitted government benefit applications using personal information supplied by her co-conspirators, according to the OIG, fully aware that they were not eligible for the benefits.

Deals. The former contractor had referred to herself as “TheDealGoat_,” according to the OIG, because she claimed she could purchase $600 worth of goods from retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target using stolen credit card numbers, in exchange for $250.

Fees for counterfeit documents. She then charged fees for making counterfeit documents, according to the agency, such as rent relief documents, lease agreements, county reward letters, layoff letters, ledgers, IRS Form W-2s, utility bills, check stubs, bank statements, doctor’s notes, and COVID-19 test results. In some instances, according to the OIG, she and her co-conspirators also used the counterfeit documents to trick the government into paying unjustified benefits.

“[N]ot a trend or content…” According to Anthony P. D’Esposito, DOL’s Inspector General, “This isn’t just a crime—it’s a deliberate and public betrayal of every hardworking American who plays by the rules. Fraud is not a trend or content; it’s theft of taxpayer dollars, and it will be prosecuted.”

Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. “What makes this increasingly dangerous,” D’Esposito continued, “is the growing effort by fraudsters on social media to glamorize and normalize stealing from their own communities—turning theft into entertainment and betrayal into a lifestyle. My office, working in close coordination with Vice President Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, has zero tolerance for those who cheat the system. We will pursue these cases aggressively, seek prison sentences, and ensure real accountability.”

Digital footprints. “The criminal mindset hasn’t changed—only the platform has,” said D’Esposito. “As a retired NYPD detective, I’ve seen criminals make mistakes. Today’s ‘Fraudfluencers’ make those mistakes in high definition. They steal from taxpayers, boast about it on social media, and leave a digital footprint our investigators can follow.”

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