A woman who embezzled unemployment insurance benefits while working at Iowa Workforce Development pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Linda F. Pippen, age 41, from Fairfax, Iowa, was convicted of one count of embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds and one count of aggravated identity theft.

In a plea agreement, Pippen admitted that, from at least May 20, 2008, to November 6, 2009, while employed as a Workforce Advisor at Iowa Workforce Development in Cedar Rapids, she embezzled approximately $43,582.42 in unemployment insurance funds. Pippen admitted she altered the computerized accounts of individuals who had been receiving unemployment benefits through Iowa Workforce Development. Pippen caused the accounts to inaccurately reflect that the individuals should continue to receive unemployment benefits after the individuals were no longer eligible to receive benefits. Pippen also altered bank account and routing numbers associated with the accounts so that funds were fraudulently directed to bank accounts under her control. Pippen admitted that, as part of her offense, she abused the authority of her position and misused the identities of several people.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pippen remains free on bond pending sentencing. Pippen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and 4 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Deegan and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Department of Labor.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 11-169 LRR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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