A man from Natchez, Mississippi, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with COVID-19 unemployment benefits. According to court documents, Kev’Veonta Short, 32, worked with other inmates at the South Mississippi Correctional Institute to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the pandemic. Short provided his personal information to another inmate so that false claims could be submitted on his behalf. Authorities stated that similar fraudulent applications were filed for several other inmates.
Two of Short’s coconspirators, Adrian Wilson and Aaron Sanders, have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wilson is set for sentencing on June 23, 2026, while Sanders will be sentenced on June 11, 2026. Short’s sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026. Each faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Office of the Public Auditor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
