RIDGELAND, Miss. (WJTV) – A Ridgeland woman pled guilty to theft of government funds involving unemployment insurance benefits fraud.
According to court documents, in May 2020, it was discovered that unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Washington had been deposited into the bank account of Judith Ann Middleton, 71, of Ridgeland. Prosecutors said the benefits were deposited under other individuals’ names. The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Middleton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.