Two New York residents are facing the possibility of decades in federal prison after prosecutors unsealed a sprawling 68-count indictment against them this week.
Mayovanet Fermin, 26, and Frnsheska Fermin, 25, both of Yonkers, are accused of orchestrating a complex scheme to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from government programs designed to help Americans during the pandemic.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2025, and unsealed following their October 3 arraignment, alleges the pair turned stolen identities into cash for nearly 18 months.
According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Fermins allegedly obtained and traded lists of personal identifying information (PII) belonging to unsuspecting victims between January 2020 and July 2021. Prosecutors say the duo used this stolen data to file fraudulent federal income tax returns, claim Economic Impact Payments, and apply for pandemic unemployment assistance benefits.
By the time the scheme was halted, the indictment alleges the Fermins had fraudulently secured over $400,000 in payments.
The charges levied against the defendants are extensive, including conspiracy to defraud the government, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.
If convicted of the most serious offenses, they could face a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison, along with significant fines and supervised release.
The investigation was a joint effort involving the IRS Criminal Investigation division, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd.
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