ATLANTA — An Atlanta podcaster known for the phrase “F.R.A.U.D. is Dope” is headed back to federal prison after prosecutors say he stole millions in unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
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Earlier this week, a judge sentenced Jonathan Dupiton, 36, of Atlanta, to seven years behind bars for a scheme that used stolen identities to file hundreds of fraudulent unemployment claims.
“During the pandemic, while citizens were struggling with job loss and trying to make ends meet, Dupiton stole unemployment benefits by submitting false applications using hundreds of stolen identities,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “His sentence underscores that anyone who seeks to exploit taxpayer-funded programs will be aggressively prosecuted and face substantial prison time.”
Investigators say the scheme started in 2020, while Dupiton was already serving time in a halfway house for a previous fraud conviction.
According to prosecutors, he obtained personal information from hundreds of victims and used it to submit fake unemployment applications through California’s system. Dupiton, whose motto was “F.R.A.U.D. is Dope” (acronym for “Finally Rich After Unstoppable Determination”), used VPNs to help conceal where the applications were coming from.
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Once claims were approved, debit cards loaded with benefits were mailed to addresses in the Northern District of Georgia, including his own. Prosecutors say the money was then withdrawn from ATMs across metro Atlanta.
In total, officials say about $3.8 million was issued, with more than $2 million actually withdrawn or spent.
“Jonathan Dupiton orchestrated a brazen scheme to steal millions in unemployment benefits using the stolen identities of innocent victims, all while already serving a sentence for fraud,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.
Dupiton pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
A federal judge also ordered three years of supervised release after prison. Restitution will be decided at a later hearing.
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