Delray Beach Woman Destiny Harris Arrested Four Years After Committing COVID Unemployment Fraud by Wrongfully Obtaining PPP Loan
A Delray Beach, Florida woman has been arrested four years after she committed COVID-19 unemployment fraud during the global pandemic by wrongfully obtaining PPP assistance.
The 45-year-old Felicia Destiny Harris reportedly received nearly $20,000 in unemployment benefits although she had a job through the lockdown.
Highlights
- Destiny Harris was ineligible for PPP assistance as she had been working full-time and received full wages during the global pandemic.
- She was charged with four counts of transporting stolen securities across state lines.
- Harris claimed that she had not filed for any benefit. However, her bank statement says otherwise.
No one has forgotten how much damage the COVID-19 outbreak caused worldwide in 2020.
Millions of people lost their lives and jobs. And we didn’t know when we would be able to leave our homes.
At that time, the government tried to help us by giving different aid like unemployment benefits and PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans.
However, there are always people who exploit these aids and benefit even though they don’t need them.
Felicia D. Harris is reportedly one of those people.
Harris Said she had not filed for any benefits
When police officers of the Delray Beach Police Department knocked on Destiny Harris’ door with an arrest warrant, she allegedly denied applying for any benefit.
Upon looking at her bank record, the authorities found that she had received $19,975 in PPP assistance, while also being employed at the time.
View this post on Instagram
In a video, the woman can be seen crying and she reportedly told her mother she couldn’t go to prison.
Moreover, her story was featured in a true crime video by the YouTube channel Bandit Cam. In the viral clip, she was seen crying.
Harris was not the only one who exploited the unemployment benefits. Four people from Delray Beach reportedly misused the program.
One person was an identity theft victim, but three others had filed for benefits themselves.
Financial investigators with the Department of Economic Opportunity picked all of them and informed detectives in Delray Beach.
Following this, the detectives reportedly issued subpoenas to the phone providers.
Police officers reached out to Destiny, who initially claimed she hadn’t filed for any benefits.
In addition, an interview was reportedly scheduled for January 2023, but The 45-year-old didn’t show up.
Not only that but she also stopped answering calls from police and a letter sent to her was returned.
Eventually, officers had no choice but to arrive at Destiny’s home with a warrant for her arrest.
Her arrest and the events that followed were captured recorded and shared on social media, which has created significant waves.
Several people have come forward to share their opinions. One person wrote, “Was she crying when she was ste_ling,”
On the other hand, some people are saying that authorities are focusing on small matters, leaving high profile cases.
“Smh. So Much worst happening and they focusing on this lil $19K. Give me a freaking break. Go work a top flight case like all the corporations that steal each year,”
“I’m still waiting for those ppl who had those PPP loans! It ain’t over for them,” a third person commented.
As reported by Justice.gov, if convicted for interstate transportation of a security obtained by fraud, the punishment is up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
Additional Information
- Destiny Harris reportedly works at the U.S. National Geospatial Agency in St. Louis.
- As per ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a person working at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is $72,927 as their average annual salary. So, her net worth must be a considerable sum.
- Harris was arrested on 12 September 2024 by officers from the Delray Beach Police Department.
