By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Friday that two St. Albans men have been indicted for allegedly stealing approximately $835,000 in unemployment insurance funds meant to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These individuals allegedly defrauded the government by manipulating unemployment insurance assistance provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was intended to support those suffering during the pandemic,” said Darnell Edwards, acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division.
The exhaustive financial investigation, which began in 2022, included extensive analysis of hundreds of financial documents and examination of state workforce agency records from 11 states throughout the country, Katz noted.
Kareem Reeves, 36, was arraigned Wednesday on an indictment charging him with grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the second degree, attempted grand larceny in the second degree, identity theft in the first degree and other crimes.
Robertson, 35, was arraigned Thursday on the indictment and a separate criminal complaint charging him with grand larceny in the first degree and other crimes for allegedly stealing more than $1.2 million dollars from multiple private brokerage accounts belonging to a Pennsylvania man.
According to the indictment and investigation, in 2022, prosecutors in the DA’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau were alerted to potentially fraudulent transactions that took place between January 2020 and January 2022.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Reeves sent fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in the names of 42 different victims to workforce agencies in 11 different states, including in New York. He allegedly stole approximately $655,706 and attempted to steal another $59,590.
Around the same time, Roberston is alleged to have sent fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in the names of 12 victims to the New York State Department of Labor, allegedly stealing $180,201 in benefits and attempting to steal another $109,350.
On or about March of 2025, Robertson is alleged to have illegally gained access to multiple brokerage accounts belonging to a Pennsylvania man. After taking control of the victim’s accounts, he allegedly illegally authorized the sale of over $1.2 million dollars of the victim’s assets and then sent the proceeds of that sale to a bank account he controlled. Further investigation revealed that Robertson proceeded to launder the money through multiple additional bank accounts in his name.
Reeves and Robertson were arrested Wednesday morning inside their 200th Street home by members of the NYPD, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Labor. Numerous financial documents allegedly linking Robertson to the March 2025 crime were recovered inside the residence during arrest.
“As alleged, these defendants took advantage of a lifeline for those impacted by the pandemic to pad their own pockets to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars—affecting more than 50 victims throughout the country,” Katz said. “We are committed to holding fraudsters accountable and protecting the safety nets that support our communities in times of need.”
If convicted of the top count, Reeves faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. If convicted on the top count on the criminal complaint, Robertson faces a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
