4 accused in Schenectady of fraudulently collecting unemployment benefits

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

Four people were charged this week with illegally receiving a total of more than $23,000 in unemployment benefits, authorities said.

Charged in separate cases were Michael Squillari, 47, of 10 Queens Drive; Frank J. Montgomery, 41, of 1614 Foster Ave; Nadine C. Johnson, 47, of 313 Front St.; and Michelle Crowley, 46, of 3 Deerfield Place, Scotia.

Each was charged with third-degree grand larceny, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and first-degree falsifying business records, all felonies.

The four are accused of telling the state Department of Labor they were still out of work when they in fact had jobs. Montgomery actually worked in a succession of three jobs from November 2010 to June 2011 while telling the state he was unemployed, Schenectady County prosecutor Katie McCutcheon said.

At one of the jobs, Montgomery allegedly worked full-time and was paid more than $650 per week. In the other jobs, he allegedly earned $12.50 or $7.40 per hour working four or more days a week.

Squillari is accused of illegally receiving a total of $8,100 in unemployment benefits from April to August 2011. He allegedly did so by filing false information with the state so he could continue to receive benefits, according to papers filed in court.

Squillari is accused of working as a driver five days per week, earning $13 per hour, and not telling the state, McCutcheon said.

Johnson is accused of illegally taking $5,265 in unemployment benefits from March to August 2011 by filing false information with the state, according to papers.

She is accused of working as a certified nurse’s assistant, making more than $13 per hour, with more sporadic hours, McCutcheon said. She also allegedly failed to tell the state she was working.

Crowley is accused of illegally taking $4,776 in benefits from October 2012 to March 2013.

She worked as a data entry clerk, making between $11 and $13 per hour, while reporting she wasn’t working at all, McCutcheon said.

Jobless people can receive up to $405 per week in unemployment benefits, depending on their salary at their last job, McCutcheon said, but they must certify their work status each week.