Attorney General Miyares secures six indictments of Unemployment Compensation Fraud

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced six indictments secured by his Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit on January 12, 2023.

• Brett Jenkins, Gloucester; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178) and one count of felony conspiracy to obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-22/18.2-178).
• James Luisan West, Gloucester; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178) and one count of felony conspiracy to obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-22/18.2-178).
• Jeffrey S. West, Gloucester; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178) and one count of felony conspiracy to obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-22/18.2-178).
• Billy J. West, Gloucester; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178) and one count of felony conspiracy to obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-22/18.2-178).
• William H. West Jr., Gloucester; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178) and one count of felony conspiracy to obtain money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-22/18.2-178).
• Darryl Hurley, Northampton; charged with one count of felony obtaining money by false pretense (Va. Code sec. 18.2-178).

Last March, Attorney General Miyares was asked by the Virginia Employment Commission to help prosecute fraudulent claims for unemployment compensation. The Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit was created in response and announced its first indictments in September.

The Office of the Attorney General has no further comment as these cases are open and ongoing.