A Queens grand jury indicted two St. Albans men on charges of grand larceny in the second degree, identity theft and other related crimes for allegedly stealing approximately $835,000 in unemployment insurance funds meant to protect workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kareem Reeves, 36, of 200th Street, was arraigned on the indictment in Queens Supreme Court on Oct. 1, and Michael Robertson, 35, also of 200th Street, was arraigned the next day on the indictment.
Robertson was also separately charged in a criminal complaint with grand larceny in the first degree and other crimes for allegedly stealing more than $1.2 million from multiple private brokerage accounts belonging to a Pennsylvania man.
The 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.
“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,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “One of the defendants also hacked into brokerage accounts and stole more than $1 million in private funds.”
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 determined that Reeves sent fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in the names of 42 different victims to workforce agencies in 11 different states, including New York. He allegedly stole approximately $655,706 and attempted to steal another $59,590.
Around the same time, Robertson is alleged to have sent fraudulent unemployment insurance applications in the names of a dozen victims to the New York State Department of Labor, allegedly stealing $180,201 in benefits, and attempted to steal another $109,350.
On or about March 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 of the victim’s assets and then sent the proceeds of that sale to a bank account he controlled. Further investigation revealed that Robinson proceeded to launder the money through multiple additional bank accounts in his name.
“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,” U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division Special Agent-in-Charge Darnell Edwards said. “The U.S. Postal Service is unwavering in its mission to protect and serve the community, ensuring that the proper aid reaches those in need, all while holding accountable those who seek to exploit these critical resources.”
Reeves and Robertson were arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 1, inside their 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 the raid. Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino ordered Reeves to return to court on Nov. 10. If convicted of the top count, he faces a potential maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Queens Criminal Court Judge Glenda Hernandez remanded Robinson into custody without bail on the complaint. Separately, Supreme Court Justice Cimino ordered Robertson to return to court on the indictment on Nov. 10. If convicted on the top count of the criminal complaint, he faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 25 years in prison.
“We are committed to holding fraudsters accountable and protecting the safety nets that support our communities in times of need,” Katz said. “I thank my prosecutors, as well as our law enforcement partners in the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, New York State Department of Labor, and the NYPD Financial Crime Task Force for their work on this long-term investigation.”
