State prosecutors have charged a Danbury man with fraudulently collecting almost $23,000 in unemployment benefits while working for Derby public schools.
Jeffrey Smith, 57, is due to appear at Superior Court in New Britain Aug. 30 to face charges of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and unemployment compensation fraud.
In a prepared statement, the chief state’s attorney’s office said the arrest was prompted by a complaint by the state Department of Labor.
“According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Smith under-reported the wages he was earning from working as a school climate specialist for the Derby Board of Education to fraudulently collect approximately $22,931 in unemployment benefits from September 2012 through June 2014,” the statement from prosecutors saisd.
Smith was released on a $10,000 nonsurety bond. The crimes with which he’s charged — both felonies — are punishable by up to 25 years behind bars.
“The case is being prosecuted by the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit, which was established under a partnership between the Division of Criminal Justice and the Department of Labor to investigate and prosecute fraud in the Unemployment Compensation program,” prosecutors said.
