Jason Hite, former resident of Gillette, has been convicted of unemployment insurance fraud and was ordered to pay $7,340 in restitution to the State of Wyoming. Hite was found to have been wrongfully filing and collecting unemployment benefits while gainfully employed. He will serve probation for three years and is disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits for two years.

Hite’s case was initiated by the benefit payment control unit of the Unemployment Insurance Division (UI) within the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS). The successful prosecution was lead by the Campbell County Attorney’s Office.

Joan Evans Director of the Wyoming  Department of Workforce Services, says DWS cross matches unemployment benefit claims with employer wage reports regularly to identify potential overpayments. Additionally, benefit payment control officers within the division flag possible abuse. The agency relies on Wyoming district and county attorneys to prosecute fraudsters.

Evans says the recovered unemployment benefit monies will be returned to the UI Trust Fund which issues unemployment benefits to those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

More From K2 Radio