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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Federal authorities have reported that an Oregon woman stole the personal information of 27 people to apply for government benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tamara Fulmer pleaded guilty for her crimes on Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced. The Seaside resident was first indicted for theft of government benefits in February.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said court documents show that Fulmer fraudulently applied for unemployment insurance benefits by using other people’s information from May 2020 to October 2021. Officials estimate that the now-47-year-old woman received $567,930 worth of benefits from the Oregon Employment Department, including $68,773 that were deposited into her personal account using at least 236 different checks.
Investigators also found that she cashed several checks at a Seaside gas station, and received another $13,533 from OED after requesting unemployment insurance benefits using her own information. Fulmer alleged she hadn’t “applied for or received disability despite receiving disability payments since 2004,” according to authorities.
Her sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 18, 2026. Officials said Fulmer is facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, in addition to a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
USAO reported that she has already agreed to forfeit the proceeds from her crimes and pay $581,283 in restitution, as part of her plea agreement.
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Jashayla Pettigrew
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