Feds: 6 received jobless benefits through fraud scheme

CHICAGO (AP) - Six suburban Chicago residents are accused of taking part in a scheme to obtain Illinois unemployment benefits using the personal information of a health care firm's patients.

Federal prosecutors say from November 2013 to December 2015, the defendants filed claims seeking $5 million in unemployment benefit claims, with the state issuing benefits of $1 million.

The participants in the scheme are charged with participating in a mail and wire fraud. Two are also charged with aggravated identity theft.

One defendant allegedly worked for an unidentified health care provider in Oak Lawn from May 2012 to July 2015. There she gained access to patient information including names, dates of birth and social security numbers. That information was used to file 450 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.

It wasn't immediately known if the accused have obtained legal representation.